Mobile Commerce

Mobile isn't just a useful tool in a retailer's toolkit anymore; it's an essential element of successful multichannel marketing, engagement and loyalty initiatives. The mobile internet — the mobile web, native applications, hybrid platforms and web apps — is fundamentally changing the way businesses can interact, engage and monetize their relationship with consumers.

American Apparel, the vertically integrated clothing manufacturer based in downtown Los Angeles, has announced the launch of a new mobile store serving Japan. The store, located at mobile.americanapparel.co.jp, will be the company's first venture into the mobile e-commerce space. Japan was chosen for the launch as its customers are among the most attuned to the potential of mobile shopping. "Mobile marketing is more important in Japan than in any other region. The majority of teenagers in Japan actually use their mobile phones for apparel shopping..."

Jeweler Tiffany & Co. is pushing a new collection by in-house designer Paloma Picasso and its mobile commerce-enabled site via an advertisement in the Pandora iPhone application.

Footcandy Shoes announced the launch of its Footcandy mobile shop. The 34-ft. luxury coach vehicle is styled out and stocked with designer shoes, currently touring West Coast proper from Los Angeles to San Diego, Seattle and beyond. The Footcandy mobile shop is also for hire, adding a fresh take on wedding parties, showers, private fashion functions and events.

With more than 60 million Americans forecast to own a tablet computer by the end of this year, retailers say tablets are driving an increasingly larger share of their web revenue. According to the 2012 Shop.org/Forrester Research State of Retailing Online survey, 49 percent of retailers say their average order value via a tablet is now higher than traditional web sales. Nearly three in 10 (28 percent) retailers say they're seeing about the same average order value from tablets as their website. The State of Retailing Online research series surveyed 59 companies.

The use of smartphones is proliferating at a rapid pace. In turn, showrooming — i.e., the practice of researching merchandise in a retail store then purchasing it elsewhere — is also increasingly common. It is, understandably, a thorn in a retailer's side. Whereas the internet has engendered huge shifts in the way media is consumed, mobile technology is causing big changes in retail shopping behavior.

When done well, iPad-enabled shopping experiences have been paying off for retailers. Unfortunately, not all online retailers have yet to capitalize on this trend. Enter Shopmox. Launched on May 9, the app aims to create a personalized shopping experience, bringing the mall to the iPad by incorporating 26 stores from half-a-dozen or so retailers, including Anthropologie, Gap, Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, Fossil, Old Navy, Gap Kids, to name a few.

Savvy retailers today understand the personal connection people have with their mobile devices, smartphones and tablets. Having a mobile presence is one of the best ways to reach prospects and customers immediately with the information they need to make buying decisions. The following three tips will help guide you through the mobile development process, pointing out strategies for success and common pitfalls to avoid.

Guess Inc., a global fashion-forward retailer, has taken the lead in using a litany of emerging technologies to improve its business and better its relationships with customers. At last month’s Retail Technology Conference, Guess SVP/CIO Mike Relich highlighted how the fast-growing retailer is adopting rather than fighting the "consumerization of retail" and as a result has already grown its mobile commerce business to 15 percent of its e-commerce revenue. 

Innovations such as Google's Project Glass suggest there will come a time when we’ll no longer converse with each other, but instead exchange data like a bunch of GPS-enabled cyborgs. While that may not be quite how it plays out, a highly connected future is definitely on its way. Data already shows that more than one-third of American teens own an iPhone. It’s easy to see what life will look like for the next generation of consumers, but will marketers be prepared? That will largely depend on whether they’ve considered these five post-mobile trends.