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Texas A&M University dived deep into the future of shopping, revealing that in the not-so-distant future, cash and credit cards will be a thing of the past. Well, maybe not that drastic, but close. According to The Houston Chronicle, research from Texas A&M's business school says that brand-specific mobile apps and social media conversations will be driving retail forward as mobile shopping becomes more and more important.
"There's a big push for things going digital and social," Dr. Janakiraman, Texas A&M professor and lead author of the study, told The Houston Chronicle. "Social media we've seen actually drives brand loyalty."
Janakiraman said that "brand mavens," people who vocally support their favorite brands on social media, currently make up 53% of US shoppers. Most of these mavens prefer to buy with branded currency (gift cards and coupons) over cash or credit cards. Because this type of shopper is becoming such a dominant force in retail, this preference could become the norm in the future.