News

Latin America retailers embracing tech to drive customer experience

May 3, 2016

The evolving Latin America retail segment is embracing technology to spur sales and customer loyalty, with two thirds of retailers assessing shopper data to boost the in-store experience, reveals a new report.

The latest strategies involve increasing speed and efficiency, personalizing the shopping experience and offering enhanced in-store service, according to a survey from Zebra Technologies that was conducted by IDG Connect.

Highlights of the report include this data:

• 82 percent of surveyed retailers in Latin America enable customers to connect to an in-store network through a loyalty app; but only 46 percent use a connection to track online customer behavior.

• Currently, 18 percent of surveyed retailers connect to Latin American customers through wireless smartphones; 46 percent through information kiosks; 34 percent through self-service tills and 42 percent through mobile device payments.

• Overall, retailers who responded in Latin America use information gained from store loyalty, credit and debit cards for identifying items bought together (62 percent), shelf replenishment (60 percent) and identifying types of shoppers (59 percent), among other market research discoveries.

• 80 percent of Latin American surveyed retailers still send printed catalogues; however, 50 percent aim to send personalized offers to devices in-store in the future.

"As technological breakthroughs evolve to support today's business demands, there is a growing need for retailers to know how to properly leverage technology for a better in-store customer experience," said Ana Maria Cabrales, regional solutions senior marketing manager, retail and hospitality, Latin America, Zebra Technologies, in an announcement.