Between advances in online shopping, mobile apps and chip-card systems, there are a lot of technology updates currently happening around us. How do independent grocery retailers keep up and know which ones to pay attention to, and which ones might just be fads? Yesterday, Coffee with CART addressed these topics. We’ll start with what will affect retailers quickest.
EMV compliance is the number one issue grocery retailers need to understand. The deadline to become EMV compliant is October 1, which is quickly approaching! After this date, if a retailer doesn’t have an EMV compliant system and a consumer uses a chip card, if the transaction turns out to be fraudulent then the retailer is held liable for the charges. To find out more about the importance of EMV and preparing for the October 1st deadline, click here.
Once you have EMV marked off your list, it’s time to take a serious look at online shopping. The team at CART said it seems like the online shopping arena is growing each week. This is a digital marketing trend that definitely isn’t going away. We see more and more retailers embrace this service to become more competitive against others.
With new vendors constantly throwing their hats into the ring, it can be difficult to navigate all of the online shopping options. That’s where Jason comes in handy. He is our resident online shopping guru and has navigated the online shopping waters for you. He can give you several vendor options that AWG is partnering with to offer our member retailers the best services. Learn more about online shopping here.
The third digital marketing topic to keep your eyes on is mobile apps. CART emphasized the focus behind the apps more than just having an app. They mentioned the multiple apps that Under Armour sponsors or has created. What makes Under Armour’s apps stand out? They all focus on experience instead of growing sales. They have fitness tracking apps like Under Armour Record, Map My Fitness and Endomondo that help users live healthier lifestyles through instruction and motivation. The popular Calorie Counter – MyFitnessPal is also an Under Armour app. None of these apps are focused on selling Under Armour products to the users. Instead they are inspiring consumers to live healthier lifestyles with a great app experience.
Grocery retailers can also look to the fast food industry’s app usage. These apps, from companies like Taco Bell and Chipotle, allow users to save time by ordering and paying through the app before they arrive at the store, avoiding lines and extra wait. This allows the customers to enjoy convenience and a better fast food experience, while driving larger sales for the business. You can read more here.
You can follow the #CoffeewithCART conversation on Twitter each Thursday at 1pm CST or check our blog each week for recaps.
