September 28, 2012 | The Social Media Monthly
Article Excerpt:
In today’s retail environment, consumers leverage a wide range of technologies to connect with brands and provide feedback on in-store shopping experiences. Although physical retail continues to be relevant, technology is changing the way consumers interact with brick-and-mortar retailers.Social media and mobile devices are the driving forces behind the new retail frontier. Armed with a smartphone and a Facebook account, the average in-store consumer can quickly access product reviews and personal recommendations for nearly any item on the shelf. In a practice known as “showrooming,” customers use in-store opportunities to interact with products, which they then purchase online from another retailer—sometimes before they leave the store. read more »