Take Two Tablets

Two-thirds (66 percent) of retail store associates believe that if they are equipped with tablets, they could provide better customer service and improve the shopping experience, according to the results of Zebra Technologies Corporation’s 11th annual Global Shopper Study, which analyzes the attitudes, opinions, and expectations of shoppers, retail associates, and retail decision makers.

Fifty-five percent of surveyed retail store associates agree that their company is understaffed, and nearly one-half (49 percent) feel overworked. Store associates cite frustration with their inability to assist customers—42 percent find they have little time to help shoppers because of pressure to get other tasks completed.

Another 28 percent claim that it’s difficult to get information to help shoppers. Most surveyed retail decision makers (83 percent) and store associates (74 percent) concur that shoppers can have a better experience with technology-equipped sales associates.

Here are the key findings by region:

Asia-Pacific. Sixty-two percent of retail associates view their employer more positively if provided with a mobile device for work-related activities. Nearly half (49 percent) of retail associates say that mobile point of sale (mPOS) devices help them do their job better.

Europe and the Middle East. Seventy-four percent of decision makers agree that increased e-commerce is driving more interest in fulfillment solutions and warehouse investments.

More than three-quarters (76 percent) of retail decision makers agree that accepting and/or managing returns of online orders is a significant challenge.

Latin America. Both shoppers (59 percent) and store associates (67 percent) believe that shoppers are better connected to consumer information than store associates.

Ninety-nine percent of retail IT decision-makers believe they need better inventory management tools to ensure accuracy.

North America. Eleven percent of shoppers completely trust retailers to protect their personal data, the lowest level of trust in any surveyed vertical industry, including healthcare, financial institutions, and technology companies.

Nearly seven in 10 store associates (68 percent) report that electronic shelf-labels would have a positive impact on the customer experience, and 54 percent of surveyed shoppers are likely to read them.