To better understand how consumers communicate with retail brands, Clickatell’s new research found considerable interest in personalised and convenient commerce experiences through mobile messaging conversations. As global retailers head into the holiday season and shift strategies to handle changing consumer shopping habits, brands are examining how rich, mobile-first commerce experiences can help attract customer loyalty. The Chat Commerce Trends Report: Retail Edition found that 69% of participants want to receive order updates via mobile message, 52% would like to use mobile messaging to track loyalty benefits or inquire about loyalty programmes, and 47% would like to use mobile messaging to connect with a customer service agent. Younger generations have the highest interest in using mobile messaging with a retail brand, specifically 92% of Gen Z and 95% of millennials.
The report also highlights a distinct opportunity to offer personalised deals and promotions through mobile channels, as consumers continue to grow cautious of high costs during this upcoming holiday season. In fact, 51% of consumers want access to special offers via mobile messaging and 81% of consumers are more likely to purchase an item that is promoted through an SMS link than through an email. Brands have the opportunity to allow consumers to browse, shop, access personalised deals and track orders all on their mobile devices through a value-rich, mobile-first commerce experience.
“The results indicate an opportunity for retail companies to engage with consumers this holiday season through their preferred messaging channels, considering a majority of consumers want to communicate with brands across the entire shopping lifecycle,” said Pieter de Villiers, CEO and co-founder of Clickatell. “For retail brands, the next wave of commerce is building relationships with consumers in the same way they communicate with friends or family every day: on their mobile phones.”
The full digital Chat Commerce Trends Report: Retail Edition is available here.