Smartphones Big Role in Shopping This Holiday Season

Smartphones are making shopping faster and easier this year as shoppers look for the perfect gift and the best deals. A study conducted by Deloitte shows that of the 46.1 percent of US consumers that own a smartphone, 70 percent plan to use it for their holiday shopping.

More people own tablets than last year; the number has doubled. Retailers recognize the fact that more people own mobile devices and they plan to use that to entice more people to their stores.

Shorter Lines

One of the benefits of smartphones is that shoppers can check out with employees who have portable devices, making for shorter lines. These mobile items allow employees to provide more information to customers looking at specific products. JC Penney and Nordstrom are two stores that plan to use this technology for an improved shopping experience for their customers.

Coupons and Deals

Another benefit of using your smartphone for shopping this holiday season is that you can get access to online only coupons. Apps also allow buyers to find the cheapest deal in their area regardless of which store has it. They may use a location-based app that recognizes the stores in their cities and get the latest deals and best discounts. For instance, when they walk into a mall, they get alerts on all of the stores offering special deals.

A Wish List

Many stores have online wish lists that allow shoppers to save items that they would like to purchase. Once they are in the store, an employee can access that list on their tablet and help the customer find what they want and purchase it.

Retailers are finding more ways to help customers use technology to shop with them, including allowing them to scan an item and purchase it online for delivery to their home. They know that the store that provides the best shopping experience will gain the most customers.

[Images via dailydealmedia & bostinno]