The role of mobile is becoming more important than ever in bringing together brand touchpoints for consumers, according to Mindshare’s key trends in retail.

Based on a sample of 1000 smartphone owners aged 18 and over in the UK, Mindshare found that 65 per cent of consumers see themselves using mobiles more in the future to improve in-store experience. Furthermore, 51 per cent of respondents agreed they are more likely to buy from brands which have interesting or different stores – a figure which rises to 63 per cent for under 34s. On top of this, 60 per cent of consumers say retail brands will have to keep up with new tech in order to improve their experiences.

With the rising use of tech, 65 per cent of consumers say they are becoming conscious of what brands do with their data, while 68 per cent are selective about the brands they share their data with.

Elsewhere, 60 per cent of 25 to 34-year olds say they find it easier to chat to brands via text, online chat, or messenger apps – showing need for instant, 24/7 gratification of queries in this day and age.

“We believe that audiences are our number one client. By creating valuable experiences for them, greater business value will be driven for brands. This is never truer than in the continually adaptive and constantly changing world of retail,” said David Walsh, chief business officer at Mindshare UK. “With the increase in technical innovations and connected devices, consumer expectations of their shopping experiences are higher than ever before. This research report aims to highlight some of these key trends as well as providing actionable insight that brands can implement.”