Leading In-Mall Mobile Retail Solution Provider Offers Best Practices to Capture Consumer Interest with Real-Time Personalized and Localized Promotions
LOS ANGELES – August 9, 2016 – Brick-and-mortar retailers have a unique opportunity to use the short and staggered U.S. back-to-school shopping season to launch holiday shopping season customer momentum, says StepsAway CEO Allan Haims. As the National Retail Federation predicts back-to-school spending will reach $75.8 billion this year, StepsAway, the leading mobile retail solution offering mall shoppers smartphone access to hyperlocal in-store deals, today shared best practices for capturing back-to-school engagement and wallet share with the latest mobile strategies.
“The back-to-school shopping period offers hidden value beyond immediate purchases as parents are also pre-shopping for the upcoming holiday season based on already-established budgets,” said Allan Haims, CEO of StepsAway. “This opportunity, combined with ever-increasing smartphone reliance throughout the consumer purchase cycle, means that brick-and-mortar retailers must digitally engage shoppers now with relevant offers to remain competitive.”
StepsAway offers the following back-to-school best practice mobile retail strategies:
- Offer Real-Time, Personalized Promotions: Back-to-school shoppers are highly price sensitive, expecting competitive deals on items including school supplies, denim, fall apparel and shoes. Brands should create mobile-driven, dynamic promotions based on real-time shopping patterns, inventory fluctuations, competitor sales, etc. They can also tap into loyalty program data to tailor promotions based on customer demographics and prior purchase history.
- Align with Local School Start Dates: School calendars are staggered with some starting at the beginning of August and others holding off until after Labor Day. Brick-and-mortar retailers should create localized messaging for mobile promotions based on school area start dates, as well as target promotions based on K-12 and collegiate level audiences.
- Don’t Underestimate ‘Buy Online, Pickup In Store’: Many consumers prefer the convenience of buying online but don’t want to waiting for items to arrive. Retailers offering online/mobile ordering with in-store pick-up options deliver the best of both worlds and are more likely to generate follow-on purchases when shoppers arrive at the store.
The StepsAway web-based mobile app, SAMobile, provides shoppers smartphone access to hyperlocal in-store deals accessible via participating malls’ Wi-Fi networks. Through StepsAway’s patent-pending cloud-based technology platform, SAConnect™, national retailers can create and deliver promotions across multiple mall properties and mall owners, from their corporate headquarters on a single platform. Retailers can generate time-sensitive ‘flash sales’ that are valid for a short duration or offer chain-wide promotions that don’t expire. They can also micro-target specific malls, test pricing scenarios and dynamically modify offers based on developing business trends or inventory challenges.
About StepsAway
StepsAway is a market-first, in-mall mobile retail solution offering shoppers smartphone access to hyperlocal in-store deals—driving more brick-and-mortar transactions. StepsAway empowers mall owners to increase sales per square foot and gives retailers an innovative way to reach and influence on-property consumer purchase decisions. Consumers access StepsAway – SAMobile™ – via a web-based mobile app upon signing onto a mall’s Wi-Fi network and then peruse deals offered on premises. StepsAway’s cloud-based proprietary technology platform, SAConnect™, allows nationally based retailers to create and deliver promotions across multiple mall owners/locations. StepsAway is a privately held company, based in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit www.stepsaway.com.
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