I’m finding that more and more, consumers are attracted by solutions that seamlessly blend their online and offline shopping experiences. Although consumers are becoming more appreciative of the speed and convenience of mobile shopping, they have still retained their favorite browsing habits: walking in a mall, flipping through catalogue pages, or website browsing. As part of this, retailers need to offer their consumers an effective, consistent way to search for and find products and information no matter where they are.
Consumers also like to research products before they make a purchase, so blending social media content (Twitter and Facebook posts for example) with product information on your site is useful. Providing localized information, such as a list of nearby stores that carry the product and whether it’s in stock or on back-order on your mobile site is important. Special promotions your store might be offering, and similar products shoppers might be interested in, based on what others have clicked on when searching with the same keywords should also be considered.
When searching on mobile devices, customers are hunting for product information or deals on specific products. They’re typically on the go and not able to spend a lot of time browsing a mobile website for a variety of products. And they might actually be searching on a mobile device from within a store. So make it easy for them to find sale information, product availability, and user ratings so they can quickly find the information they’re looking for and convert.
As you take steps to blend the online and offline experience for your customers, keep in mind the important role search plays in guiding your customers to the products and information they want and need, quickly.
