Retailer Apps...Yay or Nay?

I was browsing around online and came across a marketing-related article that caught my attention. Greg Sterling's article discusses customer’s smartphone usage in stores, which two studies shed some light on, and make the argument if marketers should even bother anymore. Well, I’d like to join in on the conversation and hope you will too.

Sterling pointed out two studies done by inMarket and Euclid Analytics that claim a small minority of shoppers use retailer apps in-store (only 8 percent according to inMarket). Taken from 2,500 US smartphone owners who used their phones in stores, inMarket's survey found 55% of those users were involved in a shopping-related search on their device (understandable), where only 8% of those shoppers used the retailer’s app in-store (interesting!). Skip down a little in the article and the discussion of why consumers are not jumping on the retailer app bandwagon comes into question. Is it due to a lack of a compelling argument? Lack of convenience? Too many notifications?

As an avid consumer and a student interested in marketing, I am intrigued. I just recently went to Target the other day to make a quick purchase. My plan was to be in-and-out within 15 minutes tops, so I entered the store and did a beeline for the women’s shirts. While in the store my phone pinged with at least three notifications just to join the Wi-Fi or to check their app. I was annoyed because each time my phone vibrated I felt I was getting more and more distracted with what I was supposed to be doing. Ultimately I ignored the buzzing, made my purchase, and left the store. I can absolutely say I was not interested in even using my phone while in the store and if I was, it would only be to check for a coupon on the Target website. I have the Target app on my phone, but I must say I have never even used it and I shop there frequently. As a matter of fact, if I am running low on space in my smartphone, the first to go are all of my retailer apps, because that is how little I use them.

In my opinion, I would much rather ask Siri or search in Google for information and deals, rather than going through each retailer’s application for my answer. In my eyes, I am not sure if retailer apps are the best way to market your brand or product, but what do you think? Why do you think smartphone users in the US do not utilize a retailer’s app in-store (or in general) or do you think otherwise?