Friday July 20, 2012

Online Presence Crucial, Report Says

Toronto, Canada — Searching for retailer reviews using mobile devices while in the store is a task half of consumers say they have done, including 10 percent of consumers who don't even own smartphones, according to market researcher Empathica.

The company says price comparisons are the most frequent task for 55 percent of consumers who use their smartphones while shopping, while 34 percent say they scan QR codes and nine percent write reviews while in the store.

Further, social media play an increasing role in brand decisions, with nearly half of consumers trying a new brand based on an online recommendation.

About 82 percent are willing to engage brands online if doing so might improve future shopping experiences, while 62 percent believe brands monitor their social media presence and 30 percent believe brands act on consumer feedback.

Gary Edwards, chief customer officer at Empathica, says: “Clearly, if brands go through the trouble of asking for their customers’ opinions and feedback, it’s incumbent on retailers to make those results transparent. Publicly disclosing that feedback shows brands’ efforts to go above and beyond their customers’ needs.”