People Are Ignoring Store Assistants Because Their Phones Are More Helpful

If you’re out shopping and would rather get help from your smartphone than an actual person, you’re now in the majority.

A new study by Deloitte found that more than half of in-store shoppers prefer to look up prices, get product information and check item availability using their own smartphones. By comparison, less than a quarter of shoppers prefer to talk to a sales associate. Given the option, 48 percent of shoppers would also rather check out using their own devices, instead of dealing with a cashier.

This isn’t a huge surprise. If you look up prices or product reviews on your phone, you know you’re getting unbiased facts about the product in question. Store associates probably won’t tell you if a product is cheaper elsewhere. They can also be hard to trust for buying advice, especially in the electronics business, where they may be trained to push one brand over another. (Do you really think that “Samsung Experience Consultant” at Best Buy is going to give you an even-handed view of the Galaxy S5 vs. the iPhone 5s?)

Deloitte says retailers should respond by creating mobile applications that focus on making the in-store shopping experience better, rather than just giving them another digital storefront to wade through. That includes providing simple in-store checkout tools and even providing price comparisons to other stores.

“If you stop trying to sell to her, she will buy more,” Deloitte says.

[Engadget]