The smartphone revolution has proven to be the biggest disruptor in the retail world. If you are a brick-and-mortar consumer retail businesses, this is not good news.
To make matters worse, as much as smartphones are digging into real world retail profits, the next wave — tablets — may be about to add to their woes. Business Insider believes that tablets are about to pull even with smartphones in terms of online retail. Brick-and-mortar retail will not be far behind.
With the way mobile devices are shaping consumer shopping, brick and mortar sellers are at a growing disadvantage. But they’re not the only ones.
Google, the king of search, has been bested by Amazon, according to Om Malik of gigaom.com. Amazon has effectively out-Googled Google in the mobile technology space.
From gigaom.com:
“The rise of smartphones has led to a smarter shopper, one that is almost always looking for a bargain. A new study shows that this behavior of price matching is rising and the beneficiary is none other than Amazon.”
Tech-savvy shoppers have shifted the marketplace and Amazon has jumped to the front of the line. With the ease of near-instant price comparison, whether shopping online or walking through a retail store, we now can make informed, researched buying decisions. Delayed gratification is key. If shoppers are willing to wait a day or two, they can save money by “showrooming” products in brick-and-mortar stores and buying online — right from the showroom floor.
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Julian Rogers is a contributor to WiseTribe, Oregon Sports News, OregonLive (the Oregonian), Comcast Sports Net, ProFootballNetworks.com, Androsform.com, and other websites. He is a native Washingtonian who spent six years in Alaska. He still does not understand the appeal of hockey or dog sled racing. He has made an uneasy peace with social media and can be found on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and WordPress. He has two beautiful children and one tolerant wife, who is also beautiful.
