Brands are integrating shopping services into mobile SMS applications
Trend - Retailers are seamlessly integrating text message shopping services into their business models. This allows customers to browse, purchase, and pay for products directly through a text message rather than using a mobile storefront application or website. This reduces online order friction.
Insight - While many consumers are familiar with mobile storefront applications, these apps often present barriers to customers that aren't intimately familiar with the technology. Additionally, navigating and shopping on small phone screens is difficult for these groups as well. As a result, retailers are offering seamless shopping services via SMS messages, allowing customers to interact with chatbots that will navigate the online shopping ecosystem, reducing friction and increasing retention.
Insight - While many consumers are familiar with mobile storefront applications, these apps often present barriers to customers that aren't intimately familiar with the technology. Additionally, navigating and shopping on small phone screens is difficult for these groups as well. As a result, retailers are offering seamless shopping services via SMS messages, allowing customers to interact with chatbots that will navigate the online shopping ecosystem, reducing friction and increasing retention.
Workshop Question - How could your brand benefit from leveraging older, more familiar technology for accessibility?
Trend Themes
1. Conversational Commerce - Brands are integrating chatbot services into their SMS business models for seamless customer interaction and increased sales opportunities.
2. Text-to-buy Solutions - Text-to-buy features integrated with accelerated checkout systems and SMS marketing offer simplified purchasing options for customers and revenue drivers for merchants.
3. SMS Marketing Campaigns - SMS-based marketing campaigns allow for targeted messages and direct purchasing options for customers, with the potential for increased brand engagement and repeat sales.
Industry Implications
1. Retail Industry - The ease and speed of SMS-based shopping services, chatbots, and text-to-buy solutions has the potential to increase sales and improve customer retention for retailers.
2. Marketing Industry - The integration of SMS marketing campaigns and chatbot services for conversational commerce opens up new avenues for personalized communication and increased engagement between brands and customers.
3. Mobile Technology Industry - The growth of SMS-based shopping services and marketing campaigns presents new opportunities for mobile technology companies and accelerates the development of more efficient and user-friendly mobile purchasing platforms.
