The use of retailers’ mobile applications to improve instore customer experience: Case study on Big Bazaar

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to answer two questions regarding mobile applications developed by retailers. First, which attributes these mobile applications must have to increase customers satisfaction while shopping in-store? Second, how retailers can increase the adoption rate of these applications among their customers? To answer these questions, this paper is divided in two parts. First, we will analyze secondary data provided by our literature review, regarding the in-store use of retailers’ applications by Indian customers. This first part will provide us with an overview of the different trends concerning the development of retailers’ applications to meet the customers’ needs, and the current actions taken by Indian major retailers. It will also provide insights regarding the use of smartphones by customers while shopping in-store, as well as insights about the factors influencing the adoption rate and the satisfaction of customers regarding retailers’ applications. In a second time, we will develop a case study. This study is based on our own shopping experience in Big Bazaar. Our multiple visits in a Big Bazaar’ store allowed us to identify major “gaps” in the customer experience. While these gaps could be filled using a mobile application, the functionalities and the benefits of Big Bazaar’s application are very limited. This observation led us to develop two questions: How to promote this application and increase its adoption rate? Which attributes of this application will effectively increase the customer satisfaction? To answer these questions, we performed a survey using a questionnaire. In this second part, we will analyze this survey’s outcomes. Based on our analysis of both secondary (literature review) and primary data (store visits and survey) we will provide recommendations designed for Big Bazaar. These recommendations will cover two topics. First, how to reshape Big Bazaar’s application in order to improve customer experience? Second, how to increase the adoption rate of Big Bazaar’s application among customers?