Cross-Device Shopping Experiences: Navigating the Multi-Screen Journey in 2024

Did you know 75% of Americans own smartphones, and 80% have computers? This makes cross-device shopping the new standard. People switch between devices often while shopping. In fact, 31% of U.S. sales are influenced by this.

Yet, 41% of the time, stores can’t track shoppers across devices. This means they sometimes show the wrong ads. This issue affects the shopping experience and sales.

The rise of connected technologies brings new chances for retail to improve. It can enhance customer experience, store efficiency, and revenue. We’ll look into how cross-device solutions can help.

Key Takeaways

• Cross-device shopping has become the norm, with 75% of Americans owning smartphones and 80% owning computers.
• Cross-device shopping impacts 31% of all sales in the U.S., but 41% of the time, retailers are unable to track users across devices.
• An ecosystem of connected technologies opens up opportunities for retail innovation, targeting customer experience, store efficiency, and revenue.
• Understanding the cross-device customer journey is crucial for creating consistent and contextually relevant messaging.
• Mastering cross-device attribution is essential for accurately measuring the true return on ad spend and lifetime value of users across different marketing channels.

The Rise of Cross-Device Shopping

Cross-device shopping is now common, with 30% of U.S. purchases happening on more than one device. This trend is seen in all retail areas, including Home Goods, where 20% of sales involve using different devices. It’s clear that cross-device shopping is here to stay, changing how we shop.

What is Cross Shopping?

Connected devices like smartphones and smart TVs have made shopping smoother. In the U.K. and Germany, 36% and 33% of sales happen on more than one device. Retailers are using various devices to make shopping better and improve store efficiency.

Shopping on different devices is common, with 67% of online shoppers using more than one. This shows the need for a unified approach to shopping across devices. It’s key for businesses to have a strategy that works across all devices.

With more devices per person, creating a seamless shopping experience is crucial. Brands that focus on cross-device experiences can see big benefits. They can cut costs by 30% to 50% and boost ROI by 50% to 100%.

Understanding the Cross-Device Customer Journey

The digital world is changing fast. Now, knowing how customers move between devices is key for stores. Old ways of tracking just one device can’t catch the whole story of how people shop.

Users often need to visit a site 4.1 times to buy something. But, if we only look at one device, it seems like they only visit 2.9 times. This big difference shows that ads might not always reach the right people at the right time.

Stores are using new tools to make shopping better. They offer things like click-and-collect, interactive fitting rooms, and kiosks for deli orders. These help customers move smoothly through their shopping, no matter what device they use.

By getting the full picture of how customers move between devices, stores can improve their ads. They can give customers what they want, making more sales and keeping customers coming back.

Cross-Device Shopping: Optimizing for Connected Experiences

In the world of cross-device shopping, retailers are using new ways to give shoppers great experiences. They use different devices and kiosks to make shopping smooth and fun. This meets the needs of today’s shoppers.

For example, a shopper can order at a kiosk and get a text when it’s ready. Or, they can start buying on a phone app and finish in the store. These steps make shopping easy and build loyalty to the brand.

The secret to success is creating a story that fits the shopper’s needs. Brands must make sure their messages are the same on all devices. This way, shoppers get a consistent and personal experience that leads them to buy. By getting this right, retailers can offer amazing experiences across all screens.

The Cross-Device Attribution Challenge

The world is more connected than ever, changing how we shop and interact with brands. Now, people easily switch between smartphones, tablets, and laptops while buying things. This shift makes it hard for advertisers and marketers to figure out which device led to a sale.

What is Cross Device Services?

Cross device services help brands track how customers use different devices. They use various methods to connect user journeys and see how ads affect sales across devices.

Recently, 75% of North American companies said tracking customers across devices was a key goal. Yet, only 14% said they could do it. This shows how tough it is to link customer data across devices.

To tackle this, advertisers need to use cross-device attribution services. They must blend old and new ways of tracking and focus on quality data. By doing this, brands can improve their marketing, make shopping better for customers, and boost sales.

Mastering Cross-Device Attribution

In today’s world, people use many devices when they shop. Marketers must track these interactions to understand and improve their strategies. This is key for reaching customers effectively.

Deterministic tracking uses login data to follow users across devices. It’s very accurate but only works when data is available. Probabilistic tracking, on the other hand, uses algorithms to guess which devices belong to the same user. It gives a broader view but is less precise.

Marketers should use a mix of both methods, and they can better do this by working with the agency in this Fishbat review. This way, they get more accurate and complete data. This helps in making better decisions and improving campaigns.

Using tools like Adjust’s web SDK or this Campaigner review can also help. These tools offer insights into how users move between devices. This knowledge helps in creating better shopping experiences.

As technology changes, keeping up with cross-device tracking is vital. It helps businesses meet the needs of customers who use many devices. By mastering this, marketers can offer better experiences and keep customers coming back.

Conclusion

The rise of cross-device shopping has changed how we shop, bringing both challenges and chances for retailers and advertisers. Now, 31% of all sales in the U.S. happen across multiple devices. This shows how big a role cross-device shopping plays.

Businesses need to make shopping smooth across different devices to win. They should use various devices and kiosks to improve the shopping experience. Advertisers must also track how customers move between devices to reach them effectively.

By using smart tracking, personalized ads, and remarketing, businesses can thrive in this new world. AI and advanced analytics help them understand how people use different devices. This knowledge leads to more sales, loyalty, and support for their brands.