Company News • 10.04.2015

Study links in-store Wi-Fi to impressive retail loyalty and sales gains

Retailers upgrade store infrastructures to create the experience of the future

Study links in-store Wi-Fi to impressive retail loyalty and sales gains...
Source: EarthLink Holdings Corp

EarthLink Holdings recently partnered with experts from research consultants IHL Group and cloud-managed Wi-Fi solutions provider AirTight Networks to conduct one of the first-ever studies to measure the impact of the retail industry's plans for store networking, Wi-Fi, security and engagement.

According to the research, deployment of in-store Wi-Fi had the most significant positive impact on retail sales and loyalty of any technology initiative. Almost half of the participating retailers, representing all retail sizes and types, claimed increased customer loyalty due to deploying in-store employee Wi-Fi, with an associated 3.4% increase in sales. One third of retailers (28%) reported increased customer loyalty due to deploying in-store customer Wi-Fi, with an associated 2% increase in sales.

These dramatic results point to employee Wi-Fi as an even bigger positive driver than customer Wi-Fi, and highlight the importance of a creating a connected, flexible workforce untethered to point-of-sale stations. 21% of retailers also reported an increase in customer dwell time in their stores due to deployment of in-store Wi-Fi. For these same retailers, top uses included traffic counting at 56% and Session Duration and Device Used at 49%.

Additional key findings include:

  • 40% of IT budgets are now allocated to deploying new and innovative systems, compared to historic measures of 15-30% of budget.
  • Nearly 70% of specialty retailers are designing their next Point-of-Sale system based on a central order management system, which will put up to five times more load on the network and will require a WAN infrastructure refresh
  • Per the increased push towards WAN, 34% of participants plan to update their WAN network security within 12 months, and 34% also plan to update their WAN bandwidth optimization to take advantage of changed software architecture and enhanced customer experience options

"As retailers dramatically upgrade store infrastructures to create the experience of the future, there is a tremendous need for increased bandwidth and security, driven by moving to a single version of the truth for data, mobile devices in the store, and the accompanying systems," said Greg Buzek, IHL. "What also unquestionably emerged from the study data is the greatest bang for the buck for increased loyalty and sales is the deployment of Wi-Fi to store associates for use with mobile devices. This allows them to get more item information and save sales otherwise lost as well as replicate the experience of their best salespeople across the chain. Subsequently many retail segments see further growth by offering Wi-Fi to customers. Smart retailers are racing to upgrade their stores to take full advantage of the opportunities."

Greg Griffiths, Vice President of Product Marketing, EarthLink, remarked, "Now that we've released the final study analysis, retailers can use this valuable information as a benchmark to compare where they are versus peers and work towards developing an ROI for new applications."

"The IHL report shows that savvy retailers are already seeing revenue increases from deploying in-store Wi-Fi, be it for employees or customers. Increasing same store sales is a team goal, and that's where IT and marketing can both draw on the IHL's research data to justify the Wi-Fi investment," said Kevin McCauley, Director of Retail Market Development, AirTight Networks.

Click here to download the complete IHL study, "Impact of Store Networks and Wi-Fi on the Customer Experience".

Source: EarthLink Holdings Corp

related articles:

popular articles:

Thumbnail-Photo: Christmas decorations: set the scene for your store!...
09.11.2023   #customer experience #shop decoration

Christmas decorations: set the scene for your store!

From the floor to the shelves and lights to the shop window - here's how to get your store ready for Christmas!

The weeks leading up to Christmas Eve are considered to be the busiest of the year....

Thumbnail-Photo: For you: Retail marketing calendar 2024
08.01.2024   #marketing #sales promotion

For you: Retail marketing calendar 2024

You can use these phases and days for yourself and your business in the upcoming year

Birthdays, holidays, holidays ... We record all these days in calendars every year to plan our personal daily lives. But the financial year can also be planned. This can be particularly important for retailers. You can plan ...

Thumbnail-Photo: ISE 2024 - the future of retail
23.10.2023   #online trading #Tech in Retail

ISE 2024 - the future of retail

ISE will take place in Barcelona from 30 January to 2 February 2024

Since it began in 2004, Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) - the world's premier exhibition for professional audio visual (pro AV) and systems integration - has grown in size, strength and influence to become an industry-defining event. Every year, ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Veganuary 2024: Best sales strategies to reach the ‘no meat’...
11.01.2024   #brick and mortar retail #food retail

Veganuary 2024: Best sales strategies to reach the ‘no meat’

Why retailers should take advantage of the trend

Veganuary has begun its fourth year in Germany. Over 850 German companies are taking part in this global movement for a plant-based ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Turning customers into friends - heres how it works...
24.01.2024   #marketing #online marketing

Turning customers into friends - here's how it works

WhatsApp channels as a secret weapon in the marketing mix

In fall 2023, Meta launched WhatsApp channels, a completely new feature in 150 countries ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Minimize mistakes, maximize success...
11.10.2023   #e-commerce #customer satisfaction

Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Minimize mistakes, maximize success

Mistakes you can avoid on promotion days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday

The promotion days on November 24 and 27 raise the sales hopes of many retailers. Despite the huge potential, these events can also be a challenge. Competition is fierce, customers are critical and expect exceptional deals. Mistakes in preparation ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Tips: Optimal shopping experience for  Christmas...
22.11.2023   #online trading #artificial intelligence

Tips: Optimal shopping experience for Christmas

How to prepare for the shopping days as an Amazon retailer

The promotional days at the start of the Christmas...

Thumbnail-Photo: The quiet hour – A contribution to inclusion in retail?...
31.10.2023   #customer satisfaction #customer experience

The "quiet hour" – A contribution to inclusion in retail?

Finding calm in a busy world: supermarkets make their mark

The world of commerce is constantly looking for new ways to attract and retain customers...

Thumbnail-Photo: Social Commerce: Community sells?
04.10.2023   #online trading #sustainability

Social Commerce: Community sells?

Why the community approach is replacing fast delivery among customer demands and what that means for you.

For a long time it was said that fast or even "same day delivery is the key". For Fabian Mischler, this is no longer the only key to satisfied customers. In an interview, the CEO of the social commerce platform ooblee told us why community ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Valentines Day marketing: creative campaigns to make your heart sing...
18.01.2024   #brick and mortar retail #sustainability

Valentine's Day marketing: creative campaigns to make your heart sing

Examples of how you can score points on Valentine's Day

Zalando killed two birds with one stone in 2021: with the invitation to "campaign exchange the clothes after your ex", customers were shown ...