Mobile commerce should be a priority for retailers. As the popularity and functionality of smartphones and tablets grows, more consumers are using those devices as a tool to enhance the shopping experience. Merchants should take notice and not be afraid to embrace these gadgets in their stores.

Nordstrom is one of those forward-thinking companies that has welcomed mobile devices and is using them as a tool to increase efficiency and improve the customer experience. Currently, sales associates on the floor already carry mobile devices to run credit debit transactions from anywhere in the store. Many of them also have tablets which allow them to search inventory levels in local stores and online to help answer customer questions.

Jessica Sheibach, group product manager at Nordstrom Direct, was recently interviewed by CITEworld. She explained that the company's use of mobile devices is only beginning and there are many experiences in the store that present new opportunities.

The first plan is to install an iPad in every dressing room. Here, a customer would be able to access a specific application that searches inventory levels to see if a particular item comes in a different size or color, and what availability is like on the sales floor or in another location.

The company is also creating two other applications for consumers to use. The first allows customers to select items before entering the store and have them waiting in the dressing room when they arrive. The other uses real-time analytics to suggest items for purchase based off of a particular item a customer has recently picked up.

The businesses is also looking to install tablet POS systems for both self-checkout and traditional sale systems.

According to Sheibach, the goal is to "marry the online and store experiences." This is something that every company should be looking into and a mobile payment solutions provider can help businesses start down this path.