Commentary

Holiday Hints: Bringing Mobile Moms To Your Brick And Mortar

If my 5-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter had their way, we’d get our Christmas tree up and decorated the day after Halloween. They’re not the only ones getting excited about the coming season. I’ll admit that I’m a sucker when stores start piping in holiday music several weeks before Thanksgiving. I’ve been known to buy gifts so early, I forget about them until I find them hidden in a closet sometime in January.

It turns out I’m not alone. Our research shows that 1 in 4 moms actually starts her holiday shopping before November. While shopping online and from my mobile is second nature for me, like many moms, I enjoy doing some of my holiday shopping in a brick-and-mortar environment. Maybe it’s the music; maybe it’s all the glitter and fake snow. It’s probably also because we like seeing products in person before committing to a purchase.  

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So how can marketers ensure that digital moms will shop – and more importantly, buy – from your store? Here are a few holiday hints to help you boost your business during this make-or-break season.

1: Embrace the upside of “showrooming”

Ninety-five percent of moms use their smartphone while shopping, and that makes some retailers nervous. Showrooming – the practice of browsing in a store, then buying online – has long been considered a threat to brick-and-mortar stores. But savvy retailers understand that having one of those moms in their store, smartphone in hand, is actually a valuable opportunity to engage, close a sale, and earn a customer’s loyalty. If you can reach her at the right moment with relevant product messaging, then provide an in-store experience that surpasses her expectations, you’ll hit a holiday home run every time.

2: Know what mobile messaging works

Fifty-three percent of moms feel the most appealing feature of mobile shopping is the digital coupon, and 25% will click on an ad to get a coupon. Geo-targeting makes those coupons even more powerful: 23% of moms appreciate when a mobile ad offers a deal near their current location.

Also, 38% of moms use retailer apps to check product reviews, and 59% of moms make purchases based on recommendations from other moms online. So whether you offer a retailer app or a mobile site, be sure customer reviews are front and center.

3: Don’t lose on price

Forty-seven percent of moms look up prices while they’re standing in the store – compared to 35% of the general population. By offering price matching, you’ll never risk losing one of those deal-seeking moms to an online retailer – and you’ll prove that you’re committed to winning and keeping her as a customer.

4: Dazzle her with an unforgettable shopping experience

Moms buy from companies that make us feel welcome and cater to our needs. We’re expecting convenience, a kid-friendly environment, and exceptional customer service. Sixty-five percent of moms are looking for helpful salespeople (versus 48% in the general population), 51% would like changing tables in the restrooms, and 50% appreciate late hours so they can shop at night when the kids are in bed. 

Every holiday shopping season is becoming a little more mobile, and moms are definitely leading that trend. It’s the retailers who look for opportunities in this new reality who will attract moms to their stores, keep the register ringing, and convert showrooming shoppers into loyal, long-term customers. Oh, and a little holiday music, glitter, and fake snow certainly can’t hurt either.

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