Each social media site seems to cater to a certain demographic, but “SoLoMo” fills in the gaps. People from every age group, from Generation Z to older boomers, use a variety of devices several times a day, no matter where they are, to find product information, reviews, discounts or anything else they need.
According to research cited on Blog.shop.org, about 37 percent of people fit the profile of an “always addressable customer” — they use at least three Internet-connected devices, go online several times a day and from at least three separate locations, such as home, work or a park. In 2010, only 17 percent of people fit this profile.
So how does “SoLoMo” fit in? The term refers to the social, local and mobile features of geosocial apps. Local means that retailers must be accessible anywhere at any time to the “always addressable customer.” Customers use whichever device is at hand to access what they need, and they want to obtain information seamlessly across devices.
This is where Pinterest is going to excel over Facebook. A lot of adults refuse to go on Facebook because they feel it’s targeted to college kids. “SoLoMo” is so important because anywhere, anytime commerce is adopted by everyone, including baby boomers.
Not only are the number of older users increasing, but mobile technology is also becoming multi-functional. Tablet technology is even more prevalent because it’s easier to see the screen. Retailers can have their BI apps and conduct POS transactions with a credit card reader on their smartphone. The entire retail market is evolving because “SoLoMo” is going to take over.
Source: blog.shop.org, May 2012
