Some interesting new research on how shoppers are using smartphones instore... http://ssl.gstatic.com/think/docs/mobile-in-store_research-studies.pdf

Some interesting insights from a USA Mobile Audience Insights Report into usage and attitudes concerning instore wi-fi carried out by JiWire. Data comes from a survey of more than 1,400 randomly selected customers across 315,000 USA public wi-fi networks. The report is based on data collected from Nov ‘12 through Dec ‘12. . Key highlights include: The top 4 activities shoppers use their mobile devices for while in a store are  : 1. price comparison 2. find and read product reviews 3. find coupons and offers 4. access the stores website Women are using mobile in stores significantly more than men  Consumers are most likely to use their mobile device for shopping while in an electronic store (44%) - almost twice as many as the next category which is surprisingly clothing (26%), which is significantly ahead of big box retailers and restaurants - both 14% 80% of mobile consumers are influenced by the availability of in-store wi-fi when deciding where to ...

A number of retailers already offer their customers free instore wi-fi. Tesco, Debenhams, HMV and John Lewis are among the early pioneers. Others seem certain to follow. Why are retailers doing this ? It enables them to provide mobile based services in-store to better serve customers (eg ipads for queue busting or extended product ranging) but the key reason is that its something that customers want and increasingly expect. Not to provide wi-fi risks being competitively disadvantaged and used well can grow customer engagement, sales and profits. An in-store wi-fi platform generates "big data" and a rich source of customer insight. The platform operator can see every session on every connected phone or tablet. It enables retailers to know who is in the store, when and where; how frequently they are visiting and how long they are spending there. Linking to the retailer's loyalty or CRM programme enables understanding of browsing and conversion. R...

Good article from Mckinsey on how winning CPG's will be need marketeers who "get" IT and vice versa. Both will need to "get" the power of data. We see an opportunity for CPGs to create competitive advantage by joining up their retailer, shopper and consumer data and using it to drive "Perfect Store" outcomes. We think the key barriers are not technical but organisational  Retailer, Shopper and Consumer tend to be managed in differing silos. Joining them up will require organisational change led by leaders who have the right vision and a rare blend of multi functional skills. http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Winning_with_IT_in_consumer_packaged_goods_Seven_trends_transforming_the_role_of_the_CIO_3065

DIY retailer B&Q has launched a new app for users to redeem loyalty offers on their smartphone and access deals on the go. The B&Q Club has more than 690,000 members who will be able to download the app from the retailer’s website. Shoppers will show their phone to a member of staff in store who can input their barcode at the check out. B&Q will then be taking the service further with then introduce of new in store point-of-sale scanners later in the year allowing shoppers to scan the  bar codes  themselves. Research carried out by the retailer showed 64% of smartphone owners use their phones in store. The retailer hopes to bolsters it multichannel credentials and reduce the use of paper by switching to the app. B&Q financial and business services general manager Steve Clark said: “We are proud to launch the B&Q Club app that offers a quick and convenient way for our loyalty scheme members to take advantage of the very latest offers and deal...

According to Marketing Week, Asda plans to overhaul its smartphone apps and launch free wi-fi in all stores.  CMO Stephen Smith told Marketing Week that “all kinds of things are possible” with in-store Wi-FI including offering product specs, further research or price checking. It currently offers a grocery shopping app including a barcode scanner and a mobile tool for its Asda Price Guarantee. The supermarket is working with parent company Wal-mart’s San Francisco based tech division Wal-mart Labs to develop mobile and multichannel properties that help consumers shop and access information whenever they want.  Smith says: “Multichannel and click and collect are big big additions for us this year - we’re pretty quiet about what we’re doing from a multichannel perspective but we’re doing some great stuff. As click and collect and multichannel become more mature, and they are by the day, there is fantastic opportunities there … you only have to look at the astounding growth...

According to British Gas, they have added 2m additional customers since they introduced Nectar points. 55% of these new customers joined BG's highest value customer segment and BG's overall NPS score grew by 5 points. 2m customers are earning Nectar points for self meter reading which is a nice win/win - the customer gets points and BG have lower service costs. A good example of "rewarding the behaviour that you seek". Chris Allin, Director of Loyalty & Customer Communications at BG explained why they chose to join the Nectar programme at the recent Loyalty World conference . Why did they feel they needed a loyalty programme? Energy utilities is a commoditised market and they needed to differentiate Their customers wanted to be rewarded for their loyalty They needed to drive brand reappraisal in some parts of world – many people still associated British Gas with the un-nationalised company which offered poor customer service T...