Retailers, Brands need to arm themselves with technology, says Infosys study

From the core findings of an independent study released by Infosys, themed “Rethinking Retail”, it has been revealed that consumers engage with retailers on Facebook more than they do on the retailer websites. Nine out of ten consumers say how much they spend is impacted by their social media engagement with a brand.

In addition to the impact of social media on spend, the study reveals how retailers are struggling to create the kind of consistent and personalized experience online and in stores that drives increased sales.

The research was done on social media matters, and Brand consistency across channels significantly impacts consumer spend.
 
Sandeep Dadlani, Senior Vice-President & Regional Head (Americas) – Retail, CPG and Logistics, Infosys, said, “Creating a consistent experience across all physical and digital touch points has a direct impact on sales. However, with the dominance of social media, creating a consistent and personalized relationship with consumers is now much harder. Retailers and brands need to arm themselves with the technology that can ensure their fans and brand advocates receive the same personalized service across channels to increase sales.”

The key findings of the study include that 89 per cent of those who interact with a retailer online through any social media outlet say that the interaction has an impact on their purchase. Women are twice as likely as men to be influenced by Pinterest; YouTube influences twice as many men as women. Nearly two-thirds of consumers say that consistency plays a role in their tendency to spend with a brand (63 per cent); 59 per cent of consumers who have experienced personalization believe it has a noticeable influence on their spending and moreover online shoppers are regularly targeted with more personalized perks than those who shop in-store.