MFour Mobile Research provides valuable data and insights to help brands understand omnichannel shopper behavior. In this podcast interview, MFour CEO Chris St. Hilaire shares how the company captures consumer data across in-store, online, and mobile channels to paint a holistic picture of the shopper journey.
Chris explains that today's shoppers engage in a constant cycle of online and offline research before making purchases. They check prices on their phones while browsing stores, compare options across retailers, and are more likely to switch brands or stores based on poor experiences. With lower loyalty to any single option, it is critical for brands to understand where shoppers are in their journey in order to effectively influence purchase decisions.
MFour collects data from a large opt-in panel of consumers across the US to observe actual shopping behaviors. By tracking in-app, website, and location data with permission, they can assess key metrics like dwell time in stores and time spent in online shopping carts. Pairing this behavioral data with survey responses right after shopping experiences captures consumer sentiment while emotions are still fresh.
Chris notes the importance of questions that get straight to the point using intuitive mobile survey formats with short completion times. With attention spans decreasing, brands must simplify consumer touchpoints. Artificial intelligence can also help further democratize market research by contextualizing complex data.
The podcast discusses specific case studies where a bad in-store experience led shoppers to increase spending elsewhere by 22%. With inflation squeezing budgets, understanding financial pressures on consumers is paramount for retailers. MFour's insights can help CPG and retail clients better target messaging and allocate marketing budgets across the growing landscape of retail media networks. As the smartphone increasingly serves as the primary consumer interface, optimized mobile data holds the key to guiding shoppers throughout their omnichannel journeys.
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