Top 5 Apps by Retailers Choice for online Shopping

The power of any online shopping application can be measured on various metrics. Among the key parameters of measurement is how much it can do for the shopper, the retailer and the developer respectively in order of priority. This is in tandem with the new electronic age adage which recognizes customer as king and everyone else comes behind. Internet plays a key role in marketing trends since every item on the shelves of all physical stores in the world has a corresponding review, description or even online marketplace where you can buy it online from the comfort of your home. Billions of dollars are spent every year to make sure consumers get compelled to buy from one manufacturer and/or vendor/brand in the competitive market offered by internet. This is evident from influential ads found on the internet. Be it through youtube videos, eye-catching ads on top-ranking sites  and the millions of “Top 10” lists available on the internet.

With increasing competition comes the need to make sure brands, products and services get to consumers at their comfort, whenever they want to have them and how to have these brands, products or services. Numerous apps have been developed to meet this niche that taps from the power of online shopping. The measurements of these apps are based on a number of approaches but the core important ones to consider in this scenario is their capabilities to the online shopper and the vendor/retailer/manufacturer depending on who is providing the services of the online shopping. The applications are used to link the two to implement sale and therefore the application involved is of critical importance. Among the most efficient applications for online shopping to hit the market are:

1.       1. Amazon Price Check

Amazon price check app searches for products by way of scanning barcode; snapping the cover page of a book, DVD, CD, or video game poster; or by a product name query. This app limits the user in that only items listed in Amazon will appear as search results. Only merchants from amazon can sell their items from this app denying the consumer the variety and competitive pricing they would get from vendors outside Amazon marketplace. The 2 million merchants available on Amazon will offer most items online shoppers would like but does not offer the most competitive pricing. Bargain hunters will be happy to know they can benefit from the Deal of the Day offer as well as Lightning Deals offer which can change multiple times a day. The app is available for apple and android devices.

1.      2. Jifiti

Jifiti is a gifting platform that allows user to spot, share and redeem gifts while walking through stores. Friends and family can easily purchase or chip in for a gift on the Jifiti platform. Friends and family can actually buy the user a gift or easily chip in with one click directly on the Jifiti.com website. All they have to do is click on the link sent by user to them, hit buy (or chip in) and user receives a notification directly to their app. Recipient can simply walk into the store and pick it up with the in-app notification. The app is capable of searching items from captured barcodes.
Jifiti adds a social aspect to online shopping. This makes it very easy for friends to spot you that item you have always craved for. Upon receiving a gift you can opt to check out from store. The variety of items and number of vendors provides for competitive pricing of items. Jifiti shoppers can get this app from Apple online store. New 'Friends' button allows you to see your Facebook friends and invite them to join the Jifiti shopping experience.  The android version is on the pipeline but not yet released. This app derives high rankings from social engagement as well as variety of items offered from stores which is crucial to customer satisfaction. This app does not promise much to bargain hunters although the competitive prices are very compelling.

1.       3. Goodzer

This app promises to get you what you need in the shortest time possible. You however do not get the benefits of competitive pricing. Goodzer is specifically resourceful in finding goods in the nearest stores. This is achieved through providing results which are mapped out to the closest store near you. It lists products sold at major retailers as well as small stores and boutiques that would have otherwise been ignored by most online shopping apps. You should however make a call to confirm the availability of goods in the stores listed by Goodzer before making a trip to the store as they are out of stock in some instances. Goodzer is available for iPhone but users can still access the services from goodzer.com as well.

4. Google Shopper
Google Shopper can scan the bar-code of almost any product. It also lets you scan the covers of books, CDs, DVD, or video games just by pointing your phone's camera at the product. Users can simply say the name of a product and Google's voice search will find it in Shopper. Once users have found an item within the app, they can find the product at various sellers online, complete with seller ratings. Users can also locate the item at nearby stores, read reviews of the product, and read details about the product, including a description, related products, specifications, and videos. The advantage that comes with this app is its linkage to Google Offers—daily local deals available in select cities—so users can purchase a Google Offer right within Google Shopper. The app can also keep lists of products scanned and be used to create a shopping list. The app is available for iPhone and android devices.

5. Smoopa

Smoopa uses barcodes to compare prices from different stores such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Sears, Kmart, Office Depot, OfficeMax, CompUSA, TigerDirect, Buy.com, and more. The user scans a product barcode while at a store, enters the price of the item, and selects the store. The app then compares it with other prices in its database. Smoopa shows a green and yellow button, signifying user can save money by price matching (yellow), or it's a good price and the user should buy it (green). Smoopa can also track a product and send alerts to the user if the price drops below a specified amount. Smoopa also rewards people for using the app with giftcards, rebate checks, and donations to charity. The more people use Smoopa, the more rewards they'll earn. This android and iPhone app is especially useful to merchants who would like to keep check on the competitiveness of their prices relative to other stores.