Coming soon to a store near you: deals, recommendations and customer service delivered to your smartphone while shopping. As we previously observed, beacon usage in retail is on the rise. Even better is that more retailers are using beacons to create targeted marketing campaigns to users.
The most recent example of this is the imminent roll out of beacons in Target stores in select cities. Being the second largest retailer of its type, this is big news not just for Target but for the future of beacons in retail.
According to a November 2014 study by marketing platform provider Swirl, 73 percent of consumers even indicated that beacon campaigns increased the likelihood of purchase during their visit.
Here is what Target is doing with beacon technology that you can adapt for your retail marketing campaign:
Trigger deal alerts – Customers must have the latest Target app installed on their smartphone. So far, beacon-usage has only been developed for iOS. An Android version will debut later this year. Customers must also opt-in to trigger coupons and other deals as they shop in-store.
Provide recommendations – Target will provide recommendations for other purchases based on previous offline activity. The app will send a notifications when you are physically near similar products or link you to a Pinterest board with those items.
Re-sort shopping list – This unique feature will allow the customer to re-sort their digital shopping list based on where they are in the store. While this may not be a way to sell more product, it is definitely a way to develop customer engagement by providing this convenience.
Reach in-store help – Another innovative feature is the ability to call for in-store customer help with a push of a button. This customer service tool will also provide better customer engagement while increasing loyalty among users.
For Target and other retailers, the ability to use this data for better targeted marketing in the future will be the key to success. It will also encourage more shoppers to return to brick and mortar stores to make purchases.
Need help with your mobile retail strategy using beacons? Contact us!
