Lifestyle and shopping app usage soared last year, but retailers have a long way to go in terms of app development, according to December 2014 research by Boston Retail Partners. Among retailers polled in North America, just 16% had a smartphone app that worked well. An additional 22% had one, but it needed improvement, while 46% had plans to implement one within three years.
Whether they’re improving apps or starting from scratch, retailers would be wise to take into consideration the findings from October 2014 research by YouGov. When the study asked US mobile internet users about the most helpful mobile retail app features, price checking was the top response, cited by nearly two-thirds of respondents. Checking item availability and comparison shopping—which often goes hand in hand with checking out prices—were the second and third most helpful features.