When today's consumers have questions, they're never more than a few taps away from an answer. That simple fact has changed the way they resolve debates, search for recipes and shop, no matter where they might be. It's no surprise, then, to see customers standing in front of the shelves at your store with their phones in hand, reading reviews or watching videos of a product in use - even shopping in a brick-and-mortar store has become, to an extent, an online experience.  

In fact, research from a 2013 Google study suggests that as many as 84 percent of mobile shoppers use their phones to help make decisions in a physical store. In the three years that have followed, one can only imagine those numbers have continued to climb along with the reliance on and proliferation of smartphones. 

With so many consumers pulling their phones out of their pockets to make purchasing decisions, retailers have started to become proactive. Using custom mobile apps or technology like iBeacons, retailers have taken steps to make it easier than ever for shoppers to find the information they're looking for in the hopes of encouraging browsers to become buyers. 

Even when they're in a store, consumers use their phones for product reviews and price comparisons.

According to a study by omnichannel personalization company RichRelevence, here are the strategies consumers find most engaging:

• More than three-quarters of consumers said they enjoyed features that let them scan a product with their mobile device to see product reviews or other recommended products. 
• Nearly seven of 10 consumers reacted positively to the idea of an interactive store map that showed them exactly where products were located.
• 44 percent of consumers liked the prospect of personalized and location-based recommendations, promotions and coupons pushing to their mobile devices when shopping. 

As merchant advocates, Vantage will continue to monitor these industry developments and keep you up to date on the latest technology to help you turn interested browsers into engaged customers. To speak to one of our payment advisors, contact us today.