iGR: Increased Spending by Customers Using Free Wi-Fi Seen by 50% of Retailers

Retailers and other consumer-facing businesses are seeing the benefits of offering complimentary, so-called amenity Wi-Fi, according to a market research report from Devicescape.

Results of a survey of over “400 small, consumer-facing businesses across the US” offering complimentary Wi-Fi showed improvements in foot traffic, time on premises and customer spending, among other key metrics, according to a Devicescape news release.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents (62 percent) said that since they had introduced complimentary Wi-Fi, customers spent more time on the premises. Half said that they saw increased spending by customers using free Wi-Fi. Just 0.1 percent reported a reduction. Over three-quarters (77 percent) of respondents rated complimentary Wi-Fi as either “important” or “very important” to their businesses.

“Many,” Devicescape points out, “described it as a competitive requirement.” The survey revealed high success rates of complimentary Wi-Fi, though goals associated with introducing it varied among businesses.