Square has released its Growth of Mobile and Conversational Commerce Report, which details the challenges and opportunities that businesses face when they expand to new commerce channels. Square surveyed business owners and consumers in the U.S. to determine what spa software is required moving forward.

Mobile Shopping

Mobile commerce and shopping experiences continue to grow in popularity among consumers. Customers expect seamless, convenient interactions with the businesses they frequent. They most often find them on their mobile devices. Customers want to be able to book appointments online and tip their service professionals digitally.

Saumil Mehta is the head of Point of Sale and E-Commerce for Square. He said that sellers continue to require powerful software to automate their businesses and meet on-the-go consumer needs. Mobile commerce technologies can help merchants stand out in the crowd.

Square has also integrated social media platforms in order to consolidate customer correspondence. Inbound messages from integrations to social platforms account for 40% of all inbound messages. Examples include consumers asking about the cost of services or how they can pick up their order.

Consumer Survey Key Findings

• The younger generations are more likely to use their phones for making purchases. Millennials and Gen Z prefer to text with a business, at 41% each.
• Nearly 98% of consumers who were surveyed want to interact with businesses using their mobile devices. The most common interactions are appointment reminders (66%), order notifications (65%), and order notification (65%).
• In the next year, 30% of consumers plan to do more shopping on their mobile devices. 38% of men and 27% of females expect to do more mobile shopping.
• As a result of consumers’ increasing preference for mobile commerce, 60% business owners are using it to sell and connect with consumers. Another 20% are interested.
• The 97% of companies that use mobile commerce report noticeable benefits. 53% say they are better able manage their customer relationships, and 53% mention they can save time through automation.
• Those who have been in the business for less than ten years are 68% more likely to use mobile technology. Companies that have been operating for more than 10 years are less likely to adopt these technologies.