77we Majority of Consumers Using Mobile for Deals

Majority of consumers already using mobile for deals...

By Chantal Tode

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May 31, 2011

PriceGrabber's mobile shopping site

Almost three-quarters of consumers – 72 percent – are using their mobile phones to receive coupons, product deals and price alerts, according to a new mobile shopping survey from PriceGrabber.


While the numbers begin to dip for other activities, overall the results show that consumers are embracing mobile phones for a variety of mobile shopping related activities. 


The survey found that 55 percent of consumers use their phones to browse the Web, 34 percent compare prices online while shopping in a store, 33 percent find nearby products and 21 percent scanning bar codes.


“It was eye-opening to see just how many consumers already use their phones to receive coupons, deals and alerts,” said Sharon Banfield, director of public relations at Price Grabber, Los Angeles. “It’s amazing to see how quickly and how many consumers picked-up on the benefits they could reap from their smartphones in saving money and finding bargains.”


PriceGrabber, which is a division of database marketing giant Experian, questioned 7,987 consumers March 3-25 for the survey.

Shopping also plays a part in the mobile apps that consumers choose to download.

According to the survey, consumers have downloaded an average of 21 apps, including three shopping-related apps.


“We’re seeing a notable increase in consumers downloading shopping apps,” Ms. Banfield said. “Just a couple of years ago, apps were an intriguing and new phenomenon, but now, shopping from a mobile phone is becoming a commonplace activity.”


One step ahead

“Mobile marketers will be smart to position shopping apps not only as the ‘new norm,’ but also as the essential tool for getting the best deal,” she said.


While mobile marketers are already doing a good job of making mobile shopping a part of shoppers’ consciousness, they need to be one step ahead of consumers and make mobile the “go-to” solution for shopping.


One way to accomplish this is to provide the information that consumers are looking for, per Ms. Banfield.


“According to PriceGrabber survey results, consumers are looking for information and the best deal in town,” she said. “Marketers need to emphasize the fact that shopping-related apps will give consumers the fastest information in an easy format, ultimately saving time and money.”


Electronics was a focus of the survey. Consumers were asked how to best describe their shopping habits when it comes to purchasing electronics, with 66 percent saying they like to get as much information as possible about an electronic device before they buy.


In addition, 48 percent said they always shop for best deals in electronics and 25 percent love to buy new gadgets and appliance.


Growing adoption


PriceGrabber points to the growing adoption of smartphones as one of the driving forces behind the trend toward mobile shopping.


According to PriceGrabber, 11 percent of consumers purchased their first Web-enabled phone in 2007, 16 percent did so in 2008, 22 percent made the move in 2009. In 2010, 20 percent of consumers purchased a Web-enabled phone.


“Web-enabled phones seem to have infinite capabilities, and consumers are intrigued by them,” Ms. Banfield said.


“With so many choices at once, it seems inevitable that consumers may not be able to use every feature to its full potential,” she said.


“At the same time, consumers have learned the advantages of mobile shopping quickly and in large numbers. With time, they’ll become even more accustomed to the mobile format and hone in on the benefits that most suit their lives.”


Final Take

KINGSWAY CHURCH GOES MOBILE WITH SMS...

Kingsway Church is the first church in South Jersey to connect with their parishioners and the community at large using mobile marketing, SMS, keywords, shortcodes and QR Codes...

Today, Kingsway has realized that just reading church announcements from the pulpit and mailing church bulletins are no longer effective ways in reaching their community’s fast-paced members who live electronic communications dependent lives...

More and more, they have heard their people say “If you're not texting my cellphone, I'm not getting the message..."...

So, Kingsway Church took a huge step in connecting with 77we, a leader in mobile marketing, to stay in touch electronically by creating keywords and QR Codes for the church to send and receive instantaneous messages via SMS texting to shortcode 64842 to thousands of people at the touch of a button...

77we’s SMS technology is amazing, lightening fast and highly economical since Kingsway Church realized that  expensive paper mailings are no longer practicable and will gradually become a thing of the past...

Now, Kingsway Church has access to the very same technology you've seen on American Idol and heard advertised on the radio and TV...

We all know it helped President Obama to raise campaign funds and get elected in the last election, and both political parties will use it heavily in the coming year...

Church members can now text “Connect” to shortcode 64842 or "Kingsway" to shorcode 64842 to join the church’s text message distribution list and start receiving messages from the church on their cellphones...


To promote usage, Kingsway Church is now:

• Creating multiple subscription lists to categorize its group members and staff;
• During weekly services announcements are made explaining to members how they can text in a keyword to 64842 to join the text messaging list;
• Contests are being run to generate more signups among youth groups;
• Inspirational messages, event reminders, donation requests, youth group trip reminders and more are being texted;
• Parents are now starting to signup in order to keep track of their children’s church schedule;
• And, it has been especially helpful for last minute updates, or event cancellations/changes due to bad weather.  

In conclusion, Kingsway Church has once again chosen to be a leader in the community...

So, it encourages everyone to get onboard...

Mobile marketing, text messaging, scanning QR codes, posting videos, etc is here to stay...

Kingsway Church continues to be out front in their community and has shown the way toward more effective and efficient communication with parishioners by using mobility marketing solutions provided by, 77we...

 

Nordstrom goes with mobile checkout at retail stores nationwide...

By Rachel Lamb

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May 17, 2011

Department store chain Nordstrom is continuing its slow-yet-steady emergence into mobile with the commencement of mobile check-out in its retail locations.
Sales associates are now able to look up past purchases via the iPod touch and spend more time with consumers on the floor, which will probably boost Nordstrom’s already-lauded customer service reputation. Nordstrom has not made many moves in the mobile arena, but this in-store incorporation will certainly help.
“I believe having the Nordstrom sales associates use mobile tools will extend the personalized experience they currently give throughout the entire purchase process,” said Doug Fleener, president and managing partner at Dynamic Experiences Group, Lexington, MA. “Now the customer won’t have to stand in line at a counter and the employees will have all of the information they need at their fingertips.
“This will definitely result in a better customer experience,” he said. “With additional information at the employee’s fingertips, it could increase conversion rates and improve the average sale.
“I also think it will differentiate Nordstrom from other department stores. I could also see how this will increase floor coverage as the employees will not be behind the counter.”

Mr. Fleener is not affiliated with Nordstrom but offered to comment as a third-party expert source.
Nordstrom did not respond by press deadline.

Check, please
Perhaps the most recognizable form of mobile checkout is at Apple retail locations.
When consumers are ready to purchase products, Apple store employees use iPod touch or iPhone devices to make the transaction and email the customer a receipt.
Nordstrom plans to place 5,000 mobile checkout devices at 116 Nordstrom stores before the start of its Anniversary Sale in July.
The company has been testing devices at its downtown Seattle and Bellevue Square stores, per various reports.
This move into mobile could do wonders for the brand in terms of its mobile strategy as well as differentiating it from its competitors.
“The future of the store as a selling channel, versus a showroom, is in jeopardy,” said Paula Rosenblum, managing partner at Retail Systems and Research, Miami, FL. “As such, it is critical for retailers to find a way to differentiate the in-store experience from other channels, since you can’t just close stores down.”
Although most luxury retailers pride themselves on impeccable and friendly customer service, it is widely acknowledged that Nordstrom is at the top of the list.
Therefore, another huge benefit of this tactic is that it fully engages customers with Nordstrom salespeople.
Mobile checkout will cut down on wait times for not only buying, but for looking up past purchases and inventory information.
“This initiative provides the customer with almost immediate answers regarding store inventory,” said Courtney Albert, consultant on marketing and branding for Parker Avery, Atlanta.
“In this new scenario, the customer does not have to wait for an associate to physically check the stockroom or wait in line at the register for a simple product lookup,” she said. “The sales associate can deliver a customized experience and even though it is a mobile scheme, this means more time spent in front of the customer delivering upon their needs.”
Customer-service call
Nordstrom does not have a branded app, but it does use mobile to its advantage in other ways.
The retailer has a mobile-optimized site which allows customers to browse and buy products via smartphone and tablet.
Also, the retailer uses location-based advertising in the Point Inside shopping center app (see story).
However, as Nordstrom’s main modus operandi is customer service, that image is what should influence its mobile strategy.
“I don’t know if [new technology] is a must-have, but I do believe that retailers who bring the digital experience into their store will capture a larger share of the under-40 market,” Dynamic Experience’s Mr. Fleener said.
“Retailers shouldn’t add technology for technology sake, but rather to improve the customer experience and staff efficiency,” he said.
Rachel Lamb is editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York. Reach her at rachel@napean.com.

Mobile Barcodes Can Be A Powerful Tool

Mobile Barcodes Can Be a Powerful Tool Provided Marketers Add Value...

MAY 4, 2011

Usage and awareness on the rise

Mobile barcodes, particularly the 2-D variety (such as QR codes), constitute a new tool for marketers looking to activate and measure the impact of static media, in-store displays and product packaging.

“Mobile barcodes hold promise for marketers as a mechanism for activating other media and providing a bridge between the physical and digital worlds,” said Noah Elkin, eMarketer principal analyst and author of the new report, “Mobile Barcodes: Trends and Best Practices for Marketers.” “But they also present challenges, including fragmentation between open and proprietary barcode formats and the requirement that consumers download a dedicated application to read the codes.”

In Japan, where QR codes originated, 2-D barcode usage is ubiquitous. Elsewhere in the world, usage is rapidly rising. According to 3GVision, an Israel-based provider of 1-D and 2-D barcode solutions, the top five countries in terms of barcode scanning growth in Q1 2011 were the US, UK, Netherlands, Spain and Canada.

On the marketer side, mobile barcodes hold potential for nearly every industry that needs to impart more information to consumers. And from retailers to consumer products brands to travel marketers, it is difficult to find industries that are not experimenting with mobile barcodes. Given the emphasis on activating traditional media and enhancing the in-store shopping experience, publishers and retailers, not surprisingly, are leading the way.

A February 2011 study fielded for marketing and communications agency MGH by Vision Critical found that 65% of US smartphone users had seen a QR code. They were most likely to have seen one on a product, indicating where marketers may get the most mileage out of using barcodes.

Consumers have tended to focus their barcode scanning activity on obtaining information about brands and products as well as triggering access to coupons and discounts. But marketers should note thedistinction between consumers who are aware of barcodes’ existenceand have tried scanning them vs. those who scan them with regularity.

“Marketers need to work with their carrier and handset partners to capitalize on awareness of 2-D barcodes and push consumers toward adoption and repeat usage,” said Elkin. “At this early stage, the more information the better about what content barcodes will activate, how to download the appropriate reader and how to activate the code.”

The full report, “Mobile Barcodes: Trends and Best Practices for Marketers” also answers these key questions:

• How many consumers are using their mobile devices to scan barcodes?
• What are the different ways marketers can use barcodes to deliver information to consumers?
• Which brands and types of companies have been deploying barcodes effectively?
• What are the main opportunities and challenges associated with mobile barcodes?