How retailers can make the most of the way South Africans use their phones to shop
Consumers in SA use their phones as in-store shopping aids, so retailers need a homegrown approach to reach them, writes Luke Mckend
The festive season is almost on us, and retailers are gearing up for the Christmas shopping spree. The big question is whether retailers are where their customers want them to be — on their mobile phones. About 60% of shopping-related searches are expected to be on mobile devices. Retailers they need to be where their customers are searching for their products. South African consumers tend to showroom; they compare prices online while looking at a product in a shop. So retailers shouldn’t be too focused on mobile conversion rates (although this is important) but rather take a broader view. Customers searching on a mobile may convert in store, rather than online. This makes mobile presence critical for retailers. Google research shows shopping search interest rises consistently before Christmas every year, spiking around black Friday, on 25 November and again on cyber Monday, 28 November, as people search for good deals. Interest also spikes on Boxing Day, as consumers look to conver...
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