Committed U.S. Consumers Are Loyal For Life
According to a global survey commissioned by Acquia, 78 percent of U.S. consumers said they do not think brands should be able to use their personal data to market different things to them. Another 56 percent are not confident that brands have their best interests in mind when they use, share and/or store their personal data. However, if you win U.S. consumers over, they will stick around. Three quarters of U.S. consumers agree that if a brand understands them at a personal level they are more likely to be loyal. Moreover, 59 percent of U.S. consumers – the highest of all countries surveyed – reported that once they are loyal to a brand, the brand has their loyalty for life. U.S. consumers also were the least likely to move on from a brand they are loyal to after having a bad experience, showing that marketers can reach their audiences if they have the insight, tools, and resources to compete.
In-Person Customer Service Key To Retail Success
Customer service is a key factor for U.S. adults when choosing where to shop and how much they will buy, finds a 2019 consumer survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Nearly two thirds (65 percent) of consumers said that the quality of customer service is a factor when deciding where to make their purchases, and more than two thirds (67 percent) said that good customer service encourages them to stay longer and/or spend more money. For all major product categories, positive, in-person customer experience increases the likelihood of a purchase. More than half (57 percent) of people said that they would pay more for an item or service if they know they will receive good customer service. Overall, the majority (73 percent) of respondents said that receiving good customer service from a retailer increases the likelihood that they will spend more money than they had planned.
In-App Spending Expected To Surpass $120M In 2019
Consumers downloaded 194 billion apps in 2018, spent $101 billion in app stores, and averaged three hours per day in mobile, according to App Annie’s annual The State of Mobile in 2019 report. Time spent in-app grew 50 percent from 2016 to 2018; downloads were up 35 percent over the same period. Mobile consumed 62 percent of global digital ad spend in 2018, up from 50 percent in 2017. Sixty percent more apps will monetize through in-app advertising in 2019, predicted App Annie. Members of Generation Z (ages 16 to 24) spend 20 percent more time in apps than the rest of the population. Said Theodore Krantz, CEO, App Annie, “Mobile is no longer an add-on channel—it is the engine fueling digital transformation.”
Use Of Virtual Assistants Growing
Slightly more than one-fourth of people (27 percent) own an AI-powered virtual assistant such as an Amazon Echo or Google Home, according to new research from Clutch, the B2B ratings and reviews site. People use virtual assistants for simple tasks and commands, mostly playing music or podcasts (66 percent), setting alarms or reminders (56 percent), and receiving updates about news, weather, or sports (48 percent). The biggest benefit nearly half of people (44 percent) experience from owning and using a virtual assistant is easy access to information such as health data, notifications, and updates. Two-thirds of people with a virtual assistant own an Amazon Echo (66 percent), ahead of the 40 percent of people who own a Google Home.
85 Percent Of U.S. Retailers Haven’t Completed Supply Chain Digitization
According to research released from Gravity Supply Chain Solutions, 85 percent of U.S. retailers haven’t completed the digitization processes (using a cloud based platform with real time visibility, and automation capabilities) required to give them full control of their supply chain. Without this, retailers will struggle with speed to market, hampering their ability to efficiently allocate supply with demand with the knock-on impact of reducing sales. The research which is based on interviews with 500 retail executives in the U.S. and the U.K. reveals that only 15 percent of U.S. retail businesses have completed supply chain digitization. Despite this slow rate of digitization, the report finds that 60 percent of respondents see digitization as critical to creating seamless omnichannel retail experiences.
Social Chatters On Mobile Payments Grows
According to the 2019 edition of the Mastercard Digital Payments Study, Mobile payments represented more the 27 percent of the total social media conversation around payments, with total mentions increasing 20 percent over the prior year. Mentions of mobile wallets specifically more than doubled since 2017. In the past year alone, such mentions on social media increased 30 percent since the last study. Today, nearly 20 percent of all mobile commerce payments are focused on contactless payments and mobile wallets. Beyond these primary focus areas, consumers are interested in how artificial intelligence, QR payments and wearable payments will impact their lives. Said Rose Beaumont, senior vice president of European communications and sales enablement at Mastercard. “In this year’s study, we see just how much these fast, convenient and secure ways to pay are being embraced across all markets. And, it points to the continued interest and demand for years to come.”
Image courtesy Oracle
