Gain rewards points:

Starbucks tiers its rewards points so consumers who have more “stars” enjoy heightened rewards. As such, consumers who visit Starbucks locations more often receive the highest level of rewards.

Avoid lines:

Through the Starbucks app, consumers can both enter orders for pickup and pay for them in advance. This helps them to avoid the most frustrating part of the morning coffee run; lines.

Enjoy exclusive events:

Starbucks hosts double star days where consumers can gain double the rewards points for stopping by one of their locations. They are notified through push notifications sent to them as they pass stores.

Enhanced consumer affinity:

Providing personalized recommendations and incentives helps Target solidify itself as an ally for consumers during their shopping trip, which increases purchase potential.

Access to shopping data:

Through the app, Target will be able to gather more shopping data which will help the retailer personalize the consumer’s experience even more. The company will be able to keep building on this data until they have an app capable of thinking with near-human intelligence.

Opportunities for in-store upsells:

Target can forward in-the-moment marketing messages that will encourage consumers to try new products they might enjoy, which will likely increase the consumer’s overall shopping cart value.

Pre-shop consideration:

In-app content that was holiday-inspired drove consumer interest before visiting the store. This content included recipes consumers could consider for holiday events while highlighting specific products.

In-store engagement:

Once they arrived at the store, consumers were incentivized to seek out products on the shelf in exchange for kicks (aka rewards points). They received these kicks for scanning UPCs on products, which encouraged them to handle items and primed them for sale.

Post-purchase follow-up:

Consumers who purchased all three of the featured products from Kraft received heightened rewards after they scanned their receipts. This established a positive brand impression that fostered ongoing goodwill.

Thank you messages:

A simple thank you for shopping goes a long way towards establishing brand affinity. Retailers can make it more impactful by offering rewards or coupons for future trips.

Survey invites:

Surveys provide insight into store operations that can be used to enhance customer experiences. Inviting consumers to participate—with the promise of rewards or discount codes—helps retailers discover issues that customers encounter.

Review requests:

Online reviews are particularly crucial for retailers who are emerging or new to the area. Follow-ups post-shopping trip help remind consumers to review their local store and share their experience with others.

Promotion updates:

If a consumer has just signed up for a rewards program or indicated they’re new to the location, it can be helpful to let them know of future events and promotions in their area to encourage them to return.

The most effective marketing strategies for retail require the use of mobile to provide consumers with a strong user experience that will guide them to products in the store. These apps work at every part of the purchase journey, from pre-shopping trip planning to checkout and beyond. Such strategies establish strong consumer relationships that create loyalty and drive ongoing sales.

Low buying intent:

This is arguably one of the most common causes of cart abandonment, in that the consumer never intended to make a purchase or wasn’t extremely motivated to buy. They may have added items to their cart out of passing interest or accident, but they had little intention of following through.

Lack of retailer trust:

Trust is an important component in online sales, both in customers sharing credit card data, and having confidence in the efficacy of the product. Without it, consumers are unwilling to purchase products.

Comparison shopping:

Consumers may have multiple windows open as they shop and often seek out the lowest cost option. In this case, they abandon one cart because they found a better deal elsewhere. 

Excessive shipping time:

Shipping can be a deal-breaker for customers, especially with powerhouses like Amazon and Walmart offering same-day options. Fifty-six percent of shoppers ages 18 to 34 expect same-day delivery, meaning demand for rapid shipping is only going to grow. 

Distractions:

Outside distractions that require an individual’s attention, like a knock at the door or phone call, can keep consumers from finishing their sale. Once they’re off the website, they’ll be less likely to return to make the purchase. 

Sticker shock from add-ons:

Taxes, shipping fees, and other add-on costs can significantly increase the price that the consumer initially thought was fair. This is another one of the most common causes of cart abandonment and can damage trust as well. 

SSL Certificates:

An SSL certificate ensures consumers that their payments are secure on a given website. The indicator is provided by the “https” in front of the web address, with the “s” denoting a current SSL certificate. Even consumers who don’t know to look for this “s” will likely receive a warning from their security software if they are on a site without a current SSL Certificate. In some cases, they’ll be blocked from visiting it entirely.

Onsite reviews:

Consumers will check the reviews on a retailer’s site regarding a specific product. However, they’re more likely to look off-site to see the overall reputation of the retailer as they’d expect a more unbiased perspective. 

Organic search:

If the consumer wants information on the reputation of a retailer, the first thing they’ll likely do is plug the name into a search engine and see what comes up. If there are sites that mention negative experiences, problems with products or lack of security, they’ll be unlikely to continue on to purchase. 

Social media:

Social media creates transparency for individuals who want to see how retailers respond to consumer criticism, complaints, and questions. This can be a great place for retailers to establish trust by addressing customer issues quickly and openly. 

First email:

The first email is a simple reminder with a link that the consumer can follow to return to their cart. This one should go out on the same day—or ideally within one hour—of them leaving their cart. This works to get consumers who’ve simply forgotten to check out to return. 

Second email:

The next email should go out 24 hours after the first—or if there is an event like a sale—at the same time the event begins. This can help to encourage consumers who may not have had high buying intent but are still interested in the product. 

Third email:

The third and final email should go out one week after the consumer abandons their cart. This email can include a coupon code, promise of free shipping, or other rewards to drive scarcity and incentivize a return visit.