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Mobilizing the Retail Business
At the second day of Mobile World Congress, Brightstar’s Marcelo Claure, along with thought leaders from MasterCard, Scanbuy, Groupon and Taco Bell, held at panel session on ‘Mobilizing the Retail Business’ and how some of the most innovative companies today are bringing the mobile retail experience to life.
As the wireless supply chain provider of some of the world’s leading operators and retailers, Brightstar contributes a unique perspective into this evolving category. During his presentation, Marcelo advised that retailers should keep three things in mind:
The mobile retail ecosystem is changing
Mobile retail is changing into a multi-channel environment where consumers can shop seamlessly across many different touch points. The mobile shopping experience is now a well traveled path to purchase, along with brick-and-mortar and traditional online experiences.
What’s more, consumers often intertwine paths – conducting research on devices and plans online, rather than making their purchase in-store, or starting in a store and buying online, where products can often be found at lower prices.
Marcelo discussed that retailers today such as Target are asking its partners to find ways to help differentiate their products.
And it’s getting heated
In this new and complex retail environment, retailers will be challenged with complicated issues. For example, in the U.S., brick –and-mortar retailers are at a distinct disadvantage because e-tailers do not pay sales taxes that brick-and-mortar retailers do. At the same time, the introduction of more and more connected devices is squeezing space in stores, forcing retailers to search for new streams of revenue or efficiencies.
To address this challenge, Marcelo discussed Apple’s approach and how the company turned the challenge into an opportunity by adding services to the mix and giving consumers a seamless experience across retail, online and mobile.
With 50 billion connected devices entering the market, retailers are also faced with new complexities. With technology advances, Marcelo told the audience that retailers must be prepared to bring a connected experience for new products entering the market, such as security systems and wireless home appliances.
Consumers are demanding services…and Retailers need to offer them
To retain customers and maintain the unique in-store experience, retailers must begin to offer more value along with the products they sell. Buyback and trade-in services can help capture the residual value on devices such as iPhone or iPads.
Insurance programs that help protect consumers’ increasingly expensive and complex devices generate loyalty and retention. And mobile security will become an important purchasing factor as consumers use their devices to share personal and private information, and make financial transactions.
At the session, Brightstar encouraged retailers to consider the following questions to enhance their wireless portfolios in-store and online:
- How are we going to sell wireless refrigerators or washer dryers or even home security system?
- How do we bundle product offerings or sell products separately when everything is connected?
- How do we manage inventory and optimize the supply chain?
- How do we train our sales people?
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