Retailers such as Target and Amazon are embracing mobile applications to help consumers save money and time with features like digital wallets and augmented reality. When used strategically, apps can streamline in-store trips and online purchases, but shoppers could also find that convenience comes with a risk: impulsive decisions and overspending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow shopping can be anytime, anywhere, multiple times a day, which is great for customers who value convenience,\u201d said Casey Taylor, a partner in the Atlanta office of Bain and Company, a management consulting firm. \u201cBut for customers on a budget, what I would share as the primary caution is that it makes it very easy \u2014 almost too easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s how to get the most out of retail apps, while avoiding the downsides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t enable notifications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Push notifications \u2014 alerts that pop up on your phone \u2014 and emails tend to \u201ccatch people at vulnerable moments,\u201d enticing them to spend money on things they otherwise wouldn\u2019t, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the NPD group, a market research company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Data show that 9.6 times more users make a purchase when an app sends a promotional push notification compared with those who didn\u2019t receive one, according to Leanplum, a mobile marketing platform. Notifications also increase the amount an average shopper spends 16%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A quick fix: Turn off notifications in the app or your device\u2019s settings and opt out of retailers\u2019 emails if they\u2019re too tempting to resist overspending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do make a shopping list<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Take inventory and make a list of what you need. Shopping lists can deter impulse purchases by keeping specific merchandise top-of-mind. Most retailer apps make it easy to view and edit lists on your device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, the app for Kohl\u2019s enables shoppers to set a budget<\/a>, and then automatically deducts the price of each item on the list. Other merchants, like The Home Depot, include maps or aisle numbers to help customers track down products on their lists at local stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t keep payment information on file<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Although storing shipping and billing information speeds up the checkout process, it can also smooth the way for frivolous purchases. Researchers have found that compared with cash, behind-the-scenes payment methods make shoppers feel detached from their money \u2014 and more likely to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow with technologies where you can just use your fingerprint, or you just take a photo of your credit card, it makes payment incredibly simple,\u201d Taylor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, enter payment information each time, rather than saving credit card numbers or linking to a PayPal account. The extra step makes the exchange of money feel more real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the very least, \u201ctake a breath before tapping \u2018checkout\u2019 to make sure that your purchase is as much about you really needing that item versus the fact that the shopping experience has become more entertaining and has become very easy,\u201d Taylor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do use your camera<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the camera feature within apps to read product details and customer reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt allows you to have a greater usage of knowledge of what those products you\u2019re purchasing can do,\u201d Cohen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some apps surface product information when an item\u2019s bar code is scanned with the camera. Beauty retailer Sephora\u2019s app incorporates augmented reality, which allows shoppers to virtually try on makeup products and colors as they look into their device\u2019s camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As well, cameras can summon savings: Snap a picture of your receipt in Walmart\u2019s app, and its Savings Catcher tool will match a competitor\u2019s lower advertised price \u2014 even after your purchase. Walmart refunds the difference on an electronic gift card. Target\u2019s app checks for manufacturer coupons and in-store deals on scanned items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t focus on one retailer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Through exclusive offers and built-in loyalty programs, \u201cindividual retailers\u2019 shopping apps intend to lock-in shoppers,\u201d Jie Zhang, professor of marketing at the University of Maryland\u2019s Robert H. Smith School of Business, said in an email. For example, the wallet feature on the J.C. Penney app lets shoppers see and redeem rewards, coupons and gift cards in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But using only one retailer\u2019s app could mean missing out on opportunities to save money<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, there might be a 20%-off sale, but it could be really easy to go get 35% off somewhere else for the same exact product,\u201d Cohen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use a price comparison tool, like ShopSavvy<\/a> or Google Shopping<\/a>, to locate the best price across multiple merchants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n More From NerdWallet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lauren Schwahn is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: lschwahn@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @lauren_schwahn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The article Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts When Using Shopping Apps originally appeared on NerdWallet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Retailers such as Target and Amazon are embracing mobile applications to help consumers save money and time with features like digital wallets and augmented reality. When used strategically, apps can streamline in-store trips and online purchases, but shoppers could also find that convenience comes with a risk: impulsive decisions and overspending. \u201cNow shopping can be […]","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":1523,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","attr_excerpt":["Retailers such as Target and Amazon are embracing mobile applications to help consumers save money and time with features like digital wallets and augmented reality. When used strategically, apps can streamline in-store trips and online purchases, but shoppers could also find that convenience comes with a risk: impulsive decisions and overspending."],"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[35,39,29],"class_list":["post-1522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-quick-tips","tag-digital-banking","tag-flex-loan","tag-personal"],"yoast_head":"\n