4 Reasons Retail VARs Need To Focus On In-Store Mobility

By Ravi Panjwani, Brother Mobile Solutions

Renewed focus on IT in brick-and-mortar retail stores was one of the major themes emerging from NRF 2016, the National Retail Federation’s Retail BIG Show. Other trends that continue to create buzz across the industry are mobile POS, omnichannel retailing, and a strong focus on the customer experience as a competitive differentiator.

It’s no secret many consumers use their mobile devices as they plan shopping excursions and continue to use them inside the stores. Whether to check product availability, compare store-to-store prices, or get additional product details, most shoppers today rely on digital devices — smartphones, tablets, and laptops — to get the information they want, instantaneously.

The NRF’s 2016 forecast projects retail industry sales will grow 3.1 percent this year. In an industry where competition keeps growing and profit margins are shrinking, it’s more important than ever before for retail system VARs to recognize the business value of developing solutions designed to integrate mobile technology into brick-and-mortar operations. Following are four reasons to focus on on-store mobile technology.