One strategy small business owners use to improve their businesses is to see what works for larger retailers. While there’s no way that Joe’s Friendly Grocer can do everything that Walmart can, they can see some success by applying the same tactics on a smaller scale. Interestingly, a recent study from L2 found that Big Box brands of every sector of retail use internet marketing tactics like content marketing and mobile marketing. Here are nine stats about Big Box brands and internet marketing that business owners may find useful.
According to the data cited by L2, more than two thirds (69%) of US big box brands support mobile commerce on mobile websites and 41 percent also have support for mobile apps.
There is a strong value in delivering a good mobile experience. According to another cited study, 80 percent of US smartphone owners use them to make decisions on products and purchases.
Of the 64 Big Box retailers surveyed by L2, the lion’s share (96.8%) had mobile websites. The only two categories where a business went without one mobile site was in electronics retailers and another among grocery store chains.
Additionally, nearly three out of four (73.4%) of Big Box retailers have mobile websites with m-commmerce components.
In espousing the value of mobile for business, L2 cited research that found 55 percent of consumers using smartphones to research products intend to purchase within the hour.
Mobile apps were more most common among drugstores and office supply chains (both at 100%). Electronics (33%) and Apparel and Footwear (50%) were the least likely to have mobile apps.
When it comes to web design, many Big Box brands have abandoned responsive design. Four out of five (80%) of US big box brands maintain separate websites for smartphones, compared to just 11 percent who still use responsive design.
The researchers also noted that m-commerce features like online ordering and inventory checking were missing from many stores offerings. Only one in four (25%) of electronics and grocery store chains offered m-commerce solutions with their mobile apps.
Overall, the best mobile offering were seen in sporting goods and office supplies internet marketing campaigns were 100 percent of the stores studied had mobile sites with mobile apps.
The data from L2 shows that mobile devices mean a lot to the success of Big Box retailers. They are investing a lot of money in creating mobile environments that encourage consumers to shop. The study does show some areas where these large brands can improve, and these are areas where smaller retailers may be able to steal some market share by making the changes first.
For more research that shows the benefits of mobile, read this article on another recent mobile marketing study.