According to Demandware, although 23% of consumers currently use mobile applications when they shop and 50% expect to do so in the near future, only 12 percent of retailers currently have a mobile application available for download. The way that customers shop and purchase products or services is changing. They expect to be able to access a wealth of information about your product in the palm of their hands. How can you capitalize on this trend? The answer lies in the custom development of a mobile application that consistently promotes your brand to customers and potential customers and allows them to buy your product or service in a simple and convenient way that fits with their busy lifestyles.
According to Nielson, 40% of the mobile phone market is comprised of smartphones, and this number is only increasing. More and more people outside of the cohort of "tech-savvy" early adopters are making the switch from traditional cell phones to smartphones. This means that even if your small business promotes its brand to those that are older or less affluent, chances are, many of your customers are still toting smartphones in their pockets.
One small business owner, Danny Abrams, owner of Manhattan's Mermaid Inn restaurants, capitalized on the mobile trend by creating the app Oysterpedia--a compendium of information about the different varieties of Oysters that exist in U.S. restaurants. The app has already had over 5,000 downloads and has spawned an intense following among users who can post feedback about which oyster they have eaten at which restaurant. His story, featured in the Wall Street Business Journal, highlights how a smart app developed by a savvy business owner can create positive word of mouth buzz for a small business.
What Abrams' app might be missing, however, is a clear way to turn users into customers. From the Wall Street Journal report, it does not seem as though there is any way for users to purchase gift certificates or other products through their phone. Perhaps this functionality will debut in the app's next update.
Abrams believes that "any business that isn't pursuing a mobile strategy is shortchanging itself." If your small business is ready to integrate a mobile strategy into their business, contact AndPlus.