Research is showing that the buyer environment is picking up steam, and with rising potential to cash in on the frenzy of increased consumption during the holiday sales season of the year, there is a growing concern for whether retailers and wholesalers are prepared to handle the demand of their customers. Being unable to produce the goods is not an option, and there should be some planning in place to assure customers that they will get what they want, when they want it.

Multichannel retailers are feeling the heat, as the Internet has created an environment that places huge demands upon them, in terms of being able to respond quickly to customers, as well as responding in a timely manner to their competition.

Perhaps the biggest concern for shoppers during this holiday season is the question of being able to utilize their smartphones to check and see if merchandise is in stock.

One aspect of consumer expectations becoming burdensome to retailers who still haven’t gotten with the program is through the increased awareness of mobile phone features allowing shoppers to do more than simply check prices and get very basic product information from their handsets, by accessing the mobile web. Shoppers expect to use a variety of routes from research to purchase, especially during the holiday shopping season.

With the increase in smartphone usage, comes increased responsibilities for the retailer who wants to cash in on the technology and its viability as a means to get attention from eager shoppers. Retailers who are positioning themselves as being ahead of the curve must be able to offer increased capabilities through the mobile web or through innovative and intuitive apps that deliver more of what their customers want.

As a report produced by industry analysts at Sterling Commerce puts it: “Product availability is becoming a necessity for impatient shoppers. Nearly two thirds (66%) of consumers surveyed considered it important to very important to be able to conveniently determine in-stock availability before visiting a store.”

Many retailers are still struggling with outdated software and proprietary systems that represented an enormous investment – and a huge capital outlay – for the company when these systems were first installed, but now look like more of an albatross around the necks of those who can’t perform simple tasks at a moment’s notice because of it.

Smooth and trouble free web application performance is no longer just a concern for members of IT departments and network troubleshooters, as a growing number of studies are pointing out a very clear and direct link to web site performance and the company’s business performance. numerous studies have proven the direct link to a company’s business performance.

Customers are clearly reaching a level that makes it very difficult for companies to excuse themselves for poorly developed sites, with patience and loyalty wearing thin at even the slightest hiccup in performance for important site features like payment, FAQ’s, and registration forms.

In addition, the always-on nature of mobile computing has brought access to the Internet to a whole new level. In an instant society, decisions are often made rather instantly.