Back to school is crunch time for retailers. They know that in this highly competitive economy, consumers want the latest fashions, the best quality, and the lowest price they can find. This puts today’s retail marketing manager squarely in the hot seat. To go from zero to hero as marketing manager, you’ve got to have your “ear to the ground” and be constantly aware of the latest shopping trends and consumer buying habits.
Google and Compete recently analyzed consumer shopping behavior, surveying shoppers to get a feel for the latest trends in how and where they shop.
According Google and Compete, the nearly exponential rise in mobile devices has forever changed shopping. Today, more buyers (especially young buyers) are foregoing endless hours at the mall and increasingly turning to their smart phones. They’re using their handheld “shopping advisors” at school (during recess, lunch and sometimes even in class) to load up on information before purchasing products online or in stores. These buyers often turn to YouTube Vloggers who post their latest “hauls,” “must haves” and bargains. Some Vloggers have a huge following numbering in the hundreds of thousands and video views soaring into the hundreds of millions. As a “comer” marketing manager, you’ve got to respect that.
Regardless of age, the study found that 1 in 5 consumers shopping for clothes and accessories use their tablets or mobile devices every day. In fact, 69 percent use their phone or tablet at home, in a store, while waiting in line, or at work. Of those who shop on their mobile device, more than half compare prices and look for “specials.” Nearly half read reviews, over a third search inventory, and one in six scan the bar code while they’re in a store.
While in-person shopping offers such tangibles as fit and tactile quality assessment, online shoppers regard video as the next best thing. Virtual fitting rooms now allow shoppers to hear personal reviews and opinions from their peers and actually see the product on avatars and live models.
Video has become such a hot buying influencer that 4 in 10 shoppers visited a store either online or in-person after watching a video. In fact, 1 in 3 shoppers now uses YouTube to shop for shoes, clothing and other accessories. When you consider that 34 percent of apparel shoppers tend to purchase a product after seeing an online video ad—as opposed to just 16 percent after seeing a TV ad—it’s no wonder that video ads have risen to the top as a key media buy.
Retailers should take heed and consider shifting their promotional budgets from traditional outlets to more online video venues. For teen and back-to-school apparel and supplies, it means enticing Vloggers to feature their products to boost sales. The intimate and personal one-on-one selling in these venues is far more effective in convincing today’s increasingly skeptical and cash-strapped buyers to part with their money. In preparing an online video, use automated video production software to showcase and explain your products. Imbed as many SEO links as possible. Show customers how to get the most out of your product. Make human contact. And make it fun.
If you want to be ready for this year’s new breed of mobile-enhanced shoppers, you can download the full Think with Google report.
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