Editorial Articles

We are at a tipping point where consumers expect to be able to use their mobile phone as a channel to engage with and purchase from their preferred retailers. A small percentage of retailers have recognized this opportunity and have already launched a Mcommerce offering with amazing results. Others are yet to recognize the opportunity or feel restricted due to legacy infrastructure. 

New Toy, which is part of mobile and digital communications agency Mobile Interactive Group (MIG), currently works with various leading high street retailers including Marks & Spencer and Wallis, consulting and implementing their first steps into the mobile space - covering everything from the humble SMS through to mobile internet sites, mobile apps, in-store interactivity, mobile vouchers and more.

We have defined 22 compelling reasons why Retailers should focus on the Mobile Channel – here are the Top 10...

1. Consumer enthusiasm and engagement with mcommerce is growing (predicted to grow to $119bn by 2015)

2. Mobile is Real-Time. You can talk to your consumers anywhere at anytime

3. Real-Time interaction on mobile informs in-store decision making (51% of consumers have used their mobile phones for in-store activities)

4. Your audience is already trying to find you through their mobile device (17.9% of men aged 13-44 have tried to browse an online retailer using their mobile handset)

5. Effective deployment to mobile delivers return on investment (Ocado generated £15m of sales since February with their iPhone application, accounting for 4.4% of all Ocado orders)

6. Your website can and should be optimised for mobile devices

7. 25% of consumers have said if they cannot browse their preferred Retailers website via their mobile device, they would look for a competitor and never try to access that site again.

8. You can build an effective mobile platform by integrating with your existing ecommerce provider

9. Mobile enables an ongoing conversation with your customers through messaging and applications

10. A focus on design and usability for mobile devices will enhance your brand offering

To read the paper, view all 22 reasons and see more industry stats to support our findings, click here

Smartphones are set to achieve nearly complete market penetration in youth and adult sectors within three years and mobile browsers are becoming the standard platform for accessing the internet – Activate your brand through mobile now to deliver an engaging, value added and memorable experience.

Tim Dunn
Director of Strategy, Mobile Interactive Group