What's In Store For Retailers?

By Robert Russell, AT&T

A number of factors can draw you into a store. Maybe a new title from your favorite author catches your eye. Or, you can't resist bold letters proclaiming "Half-priced DVDs — today only!"

Or, your phone vibrates as you're strolling through the mall, and a coupon to a nearby clothing store pops up on your mobile device's screen. Shopping has changed. While flashy signs and window displays can still serve to grab consumers' attention, retailers today also have an arsenal of technology available to them to help elevate their marketing campaigns.

The modern, multichannel shopper communicates with their favorite brands in a variety of different ways — online, through mobile apps, in catalogs — but nothing can replace the experience of touching a down comforter or bouncing around in a new pair of sneakers. That's why retailers are looking for ways to blend the concreteness of in-store shopping with the thrill of advanced wireless capabilities.