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Here are five ways you could use your smartphone to make holiday shopping easier:
1. Order in apps
With an expected 15 percent increase in online holiday shopping, according to Adobe Analytics, mobile is likely to see a major increase. About 68 percent of all e-commerce visits will be on smarthphones, according to a recent study by Salesforce.
Just about every retailer now has an app that streamlines the searching and ordering process.
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2. Use price scanners
The newest version of Walmart’s app has integrated augmented reality to price check and compare. Right now the app is only available on iPhone but is expected to expand to other devices and operating systems soon. Shoppers can view the prices and customer ratings, and then view related products.
Other stores like Kroger and Meijer have less advanced price scanning apps where customers can scan a barcode to search the app for coupons and related products.
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3. Use augmented reality from home
Worried about buying something online that won't look great in your home? Amazon's app has an augmented reality feature that places a product in the room using a camera. Shoppers can rotate and move the furniture, decor and Alexa devices to see them as they'd appear in the room before buying.
Wayfair and other retailers also have similar offerings on their apps.
4. Use store apps to find products without fighting the crowd
Many retailers, including Kroger and Walmart offer apps that help shoppers find what their looking for. The exact aisle where an item is located is often available in the mobile application.
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5. Add mobile payments before hitting the store
Why make your already long wait in line during holiday rushes even longer? Counting out cash and digging around for your credit card take up valuable time when you could already be backing out of your parking spot. With systems like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and PayPal shoppers can easily scan their phones at checkout for a faster process.
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