Mobile Marketing

The boom in tablet technology has delivered what some are calling the ideal retail touchpoint. According to the 2012 RIS/IHL Store Systems Study, close to 75 percent of retailers will be deploying some form of tablet computing over the next 24 months. The applications for tablets appear endless, including clientelling, cross-selling, workforce enablement, back office and all areas of customer service, satisfaction and engagement. Retailers must determine which applications will provide the best return on investment in terms of cost and customer satisfaction.

Retailers have long turned to circulars and signage to tell consumers what packaged goods are in-store. In recent weeks at Walgreens, a mobile check-in has been following suit.

Smartphones and tablets will start to take a bigger share of our lives and the dominance of mobile technology will shape how consumers shop. Expect to see increased mobile payment functions and upgrades to make transacting quicker and life easier this year. What follows is my forecast for hot topics and trends in the mobile commerce space in 2012.

Use of mobile devices is becoming the norm, particularly among luxury shoppers, according to Denise Incandela, president and chief marketing officer of Saks Direct at Saks Fifth Avenue. "Therefore, brands should make their in-store experiences more mobile friendly."

Tapping into affluent consumers' emotions rather than product pushing is the main point behind any mobile marketing tactic this Valentine's Day. Mobile sites, applications, banner ads and SMS can all contribute to using emotive marketing to inspire feelings for loved ones at any place or time.

Apps are the fastest growing consumer segment in the history of commerce. On average, 2,000 mobile apps are published every day. It’s clear that savvy marketers in 2012 are going to jump on the explosive growth. More consumers are joining the apps revolution and smart businesses are discovering the free tools available to get them involved and noticed.

Digital think tank L2 says that Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy's and NET-A-PORTER are the most "mobile-competent" among what it calls "prestige" brands. In L2's new study, Prestige 100 Mobile IQ, the most recognizable brands were measured across 250 parameters, including their mobile sites, apps, marketing approaches and innovation.

Online jewelry retailer Ice.com has launched an interactive mobile application that will enable shoppers to virtually try on rings and bracelets before making a purchase. Through augmented reality technology, the mobile app allows users the opportunity to view the retailer's jewelry catalog, select an item and opt to virtually try on the piece.

Celerant Command Mobile and jQuery platform

Building on the Celerant Command Retail Platform, Destination Baby has positioned itself on the leading edge of m-commerce.