Mobile Marketing

While the use of mobile tablets (such as the iPad) as point-of-sale devices is growing rapidly, with shipments increasing at a rate of 38 percent in 2013, many retailers are still slow to adopt them, according to a new study from research firm IHL Group. The mobile POS market will surpass $2 billion in hardware/software sales in North America in 2013, and 28 percent of North American retailers plan to adopt mobile POS in some form by the end of 2013, said the study, called Mobile POS: Hype to Reality.

Google's ramping up mobile monetization today with a new sponsored search result ad type, a product listing ad. It also reduces the mobile search presence of the showroomer's biggest ally: Amazon.com. Already available on desktop, the new ad type will now be available globally on mobile, Google says. Similar to desktop Google shopping ads, the ad appears when people search for a shopping-related term like 'washing machine' or 'Tassim0.' People who see the ad can

Focusing on the omnichannel customer, mobile apps vs. mobile sites, and the real return on investment of social media were just a few of the many topics discussed at eTail West, which took place in Palm Desert, Calif. this week. Here's a look at a few key takeaways — and fun perspectives — via tweets sent during the conference:

Flooring retailer Lumber Liquidators is placing QR codes and SMS calls to action on the pages of its catalog to let users shop and envision how products would look in their own home. The mobile calls to action are appearing in the winter/spring 2013 Lumber Liquidators catalog. Almost every page in the catalog includes a mobile component.

As shoppers become increasingly connected, online retailers in 2013 will get back to basics, focusing on strategies and tactics to improve the customer experience and increase web conversion and loyalty across all devices. According to the 2013 Shop.org/Forrester Research Inc. State Of Retailing Online survey, more than half (51%) of retailers surveyed say their top priority for 2013 is site optimization, including checkout optimization, alternative payments, user experience, testing, and product detail page enhancements.

Apple's iPad tablet computer is changing the way that many consumers connect to the internet, stay informed and shop. A tablet-friendly website is thus a new imperative for online retailers. One out of every four adults in the U.S. owns a tablet computer like the Apple iPad or similar, according to an August 2012 report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. What's more, according to Business Insider, "between August 2011 and January 2012 tablet ownership among U.S. adults grew a remarkable 90 percent."

Skava, a provider of multitouchpoint retail technology, announced the results of its Impact of Tablet for Retailers 2012 report, which confirms that only 7 percent of the top 100 U.S. retailers have optimized their websites for tablet devices. This comes ahead of the busiest week of the year for the retail sector, yet online retailers aren't catering to the unique requirements of tablet shoppers, who are more lucrative online shoppers than their smartphone counterparts.

The oft-cited and much-dreaded sport of comparison shopping in-store via smartphone (aka showrooming) is only one of many mobile activities consumers perform on their devices in Aisle 3, and it's likely overrated, says a new study from Vibes. In fact, hyperfocusing on this one feared aspect of the mobile shopping experience can distract marketers from all of the ways they can engage the connected floorwalker.

According to a study done by comScore, four out of five smartphone owners use their device to shop. In the ever-changing world of mobile commerce, it’s not enough for retailers to simply replicate their online experience on a mobile device. As technology evolves, so too must marketers. Which mobile commerce trend(s) do you see having the greatest impact for retailers in the coming years?

Welcome to this week's "Pin of the Week." This week's featured pin is an infographic entitled "Text Message Campaigns: Who's Really Opting In " from tatango