Bluedot Unveils Five Key Retail Industry Predictions for 2021

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluedot, which provides location technology for mobile apps to power high-value interactions between brands and their customers, today revealed five pivotal retail industry trends and predictions expected to emerge in 2021.

"The pandemic has forced retail brands to rethink the customer experience and quickly adapt to new customer demands around safety and convenience - whether consumers are shopping or picking up in-store or utilizing curbside pickup," said Emil Davityan, Bluedot co-founder and CEO. "As we look towards 2021, it's clear that retailers must accelerate flexibility - from encouraging purchase via mobile to managing online pickup orders to handing off orders at curbside. There's a major disconnect between what consumers want and what brands are currently providing. Consumers want an effortless, fast, and automated carside experience with limited wait times."

The key trends and predictions for 2021 include:

    1. Retailers will augment their mobile app initiatives with a sharp focus on
       personalization to meet new customer experience demands. The pandemic has
       led to a sharp uptick in consumer mobile app usage with three out of four
       consumers turning to mobile apps for shopping in the last quarter
       according to Bluedot's recent retail report. With consumers now more
       receptive to mobile apps than ever before, retailers will be able to gain
       valuable insights for everything from purchase history, omni-commerce and
       delivery to frequency and dwell time which will be pivotal to
       personalized service. It will also determine future relationships with
       natively digital generations. 2021 will be a year of rapid testing and
       deployment of solutions and technologies with a particular focus on
       mobile and data as retailers reinvest in improving the functionality of
       their mobile apps to include fast and easy payment options, geolocation
       technology and more. There's a technological differential for companies
       that embrace this approach to roll out adapted solutions in markets where
       personalization is most needed, giving brands a chance to win market
       share while meeting consumer demand head-on.

    2. Retailers will seek more end-to-end, holistic solutions that integrate
       their disparate technologies. This will facilitate the management of the
       customer experience no matter what channel customers choose to use. In
       response, technology providers will verticalize or consolidate in order
       to provide the kinds of end-to-end solutions brands are seeking.
       Companies recognize the imperative of time to market and long term
       technology roadmaps have condensed into a much shorter window as consumer
       behaviors continue to shift. Retailers will also need to weigh the impact
       that the increasing investments in technology has on their stores.

    3. Curbside will become carside as popularity rises and consumers turn to
       retailers that can deliver a first-class experience. Consumers have
       significantly increased their use of curbside pickup with 80% utilizing
       the service for their shopping during the last quarter of 2020 according
       to Bluedot's retail report, but the current level of service is not
       meeting consumer expectations. Consumers will come to expect a fast,
       pleasant and hassle-free experience the moment their car pulls into a
       curbside space with automated check-in and orders brought directly to
       their car upon arrival. Mobile technologies, including geolocation and
       predictive arrival technology, will alert stores when a customer is
       approaching and the moment they pull into a curbside space so staff can
       be ready upon arrival.

    4. While other brands play catch-up, a handful of leading players will roll
       out brand-owned next-gen delivery services that will set the standard for
       the next 5-10 years. Brands that had already established safe and
       convenient curbside pickup, in-store pickup and same-day delivery options
       will remain in the best position to be successful in the year ahead. With
       mounting pressure to manage ongoing shelter-in-place orders and
       accommodate newly formed consumer habits, brands will start to invest in
       their own delivery options and become less reliant on third party
       delivery platforms.
    5. Mall operators will also invest more in technology to help merchants and
       lure customers back to the mall. Operators will revitalize their mobile
       apps and merge AI and location technology to make the shopping experience
       both in-store and online faster, seamless and contactless. Through the
       apps, customers will be able to shop the mall in a more personalized way
       including only seeing merchandise that's in stock. Malls will also make
       it much easier for stores to provide first-class carside service and
       BOPIS for picking up purchases the moment a customer pulls into a
       designated parking spot or enters a store.

"Accelerated demand for safe and contactless shopping this year during COVID, has forced retail brands to cobble together ad hoc solutions to accommodate customers seeking contactless payment options, home delivery, curbside and in-store pickup. All of which have become must-haves as consumers reset their priorities around their health and safety concerns and form new habits," added Davityan. "In the year ahead, the retail industry will emerge from a boot-strapped approach to one that will enable efficient execution and well-crafted customer experiences as they look to win market share."

About Bluedot
Bluedot's award-winning location technology for mobile apps powers meaningful interactions between brands and their customers across key industries including retail, quick service restaurants, and transportation. Bluedot is trusted by many of the largest enterprises such as McDonald's, Dunkin', Volta, IAG, and Vodafone among others. With pinpoint accuracy, Bluedot can identify the moment customers enter the drive-thru, arrive at curbside, or pass a toll location. Bluedot drives consumer engagement with advanced gamification, personalization and loyalty solutions. Inherently compliant with GDPR and CCPA, Bluedot focuses on protecting end-user privacy and never shares or sells personal information.

For more information on Bluedot and its solutions, visit bluedot.io.

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SOURCE Bluedot