News

Study: Showrooming up 156% over last year

October 10, 2013

Since 2012, there has been a 156-percent increase in consumers who purchased a product from a competitor while in a retail store, according to "Mobile Consumer Report: Combat Showrooming with Personalization," released today by Vibes marketing.

The report found that 44 percent of consumers showroom frequently and 36 percent use their mobile devices to shop more in-store than they did two years ago.

After consumers compared prices on their phones while in-store, 47 percent completed transactions; 45 percent went elsewhere to purchase items; and 7 percent did not make purchases, giving retailers about a 50/50 chance for the occurrence of showrooming, the news release said.

Focus on personalization as a sales driver

Eighty-nine percent of consumers would sign up for mobile messages if they were personalized, yet only 18 percent of consumers regularly see personalization from retailers and brands, according to the report.

Among those consumers who either texted or scanned a QR code to get more information or a special in-store deal, 42 percent said doing so made them feel better about the purchases they made. However, 40 percent — up from 14 percent in 2012 — made a purchase they had not planned on making beforehand because of this valuable information, showing that mobile product information delivered via text and QR codes can drive purchases.

"Showrooming is more prevalent than ever before," said Jack Philbin, co-founder and CEO of Vibes. "The antidote to showrooming is creating contextually relevant and personalized mobile experiences that motivate and influence consumers to take notice and make purchases. If retailers don't establish personalized mobile strategies, they'll increasingly face unengaged consumers who will continue to browse in-store and buy online from competitors."

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