Smartphones and supply chain transparency

  • Written by Peter Needle
  • Published on 2 August 2018
  • Blogs

Three in five adults in the UK now own a smartphone. Even more astonishing is the State of Broadband 2014 report's claim that over 50% of the global population will have access to the internet within three years' time. Mobile broadband through smartphones and tablets is becoming the fastest growing technology in history.

From 24-hour newsfeeds and Twitter comments to online reviews, we know more about brands than ever before. As a recent article in the Guardian pointed out, it's not just marketers who have more facts at their fingertips - consumers do too. While it is easy for companies to advertise online, it is also easy for consumers to make data-driven decisions.

Researching retail

Last year, Shopatron conducted the Retailer eCommerce Study, which researched consumer in-store smartphone use. 86% of retailers reported that customers use their phones while shopping in stores. Of these individuals, 58% of customers use their mobiles to compare prices, 38% use them to access product information and 22% use them to look at product reviews. It’s becoming increasingly common for consumers to research products online before making a purchase, and with shoppers growing more curious and more empowered, retailers are under increasing pressure to share information with consumers.

Ethical and transparent supply chains

New technologies are already making it easier for individuals to seek out companies that operate an ethical supply chain. For example, the website and app Good on You gives ethical brands an easy-to-understand rating out of five, from 'We Avoid' (1) to 'Great' (5), and individual scores for its impact on people, the planet, and animals.

The digital age has also helped to achieve greater supply chain transparency in the retail industry, as brands can see exactly where and how their products are sourced using product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions and supply chain technology .

Segura Systems is a cloud-based platform which provides access to users at any time and from any location in the world. The system helps retailers to achieve transparent and ethical sourcing across their secondary supply chain  – leaving no unethical trail for customers to find.

Originally Published 24/09/2014

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