The final session at this year’s Retail Innovation & Marketing Conference was well worth the wait. For two days (three if you include the Mobile Boot Camp!), we’ve been hearing about mobile retail. Is it here or isn’t it? Do consumers want it now or are consumers scared of it? Do retailers want it now or are retailers scared of it? Google’s Sameer Samat doesn’t give us all the answers, but he definitely helped point us in the right direction.
The potential for mobile is enormous partly because mobile devices hold more information about us than any other medium. Your calendar, your contact network, it’s all on your mobile device, which is always on you. And it’s likely that mobile adoption will be five times faster than Web adoption was. The change is happening rapidly because there are faster and cheaper devices on the market and there is increased speed and capacity on networks, among other reasons. But that doesn’t mean you have to dive right in and invest in everything right now.
As a retailer, you should probably make some level of investment in mobile in 2010, Samat said. Even though it may seem like science fiction to be able to point your mobile device at an in-store product and purchase it without ever talking to a salesperson, all of these kinds of technologies already exist. So, as a retailer, how can you get started in mobile, even at a very low level?
- You can survey your customer base and conduct research about how they use mobile already.
- You can experiment with mobile advertising.
- You can “leverage the eco-system.” Meaning, you don’t need to build all of this yourself. But in exchange for help from other expert companies, you have to be willing to make your content available beyond your own company.
- You can integrate mobile as part of your operational plan. Consider how good 3G coverage is in yours. Is there a space in your stores for consumers to browse (to check prices and customer reviews) on their mobile devices? Do you provide ways for customers to access online in-stores, such as with kiosks?
Mobile is starting. Prepare yourself and prepare your stores by taking the first steps, no matter how small they seem.
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[...] by SteveBayle on March 11, 2010 http://blog.nrf.com/2010/03/04/mobile-retail-the-first-steps/ [...]
[...] main event, speakers detailed where mobile has been and where it’s heading, how to take the first steps in mobile retail, and digital trends to watch for 2010. Trust us when we say, everyone is on the mobile bandwagon. [...]