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Some of you may have participated in our recent blog poll that asked, “Which *one* mobile feature is most likely to evolve from “nice to have” to “need to have” in the mind of the US consumer in the next 12 to 18 months?”
The caveat that I always note when reporting on blog results is that this is very much a snapshot in time, and it is by no means statistically valid research in the traditional sense. That said, the results are always a fascinating window into a given topic — and this one no less so. Out of 25 total votes for this poll, five noted that mobile features of any kind were simply not yet significant enough for online retail. Other poll takers, however, thought that some applications are poised to take off in the near term, including:
- Accessing price comparison info for a product either photographed or scanned in store — 8 votes
- Customer ratings and reviews accessible via mobile phone — 6 votes
Additionally, a few deemed shopping list related features as holding potential, whether scanning a bar code to add something to a shopping cart (3 votes) or storing a shopping list on a mobile phone at all (2 votes).
Clearly, there is still much debate, discussion and exploration going on when it comes to mobile and its role in online retail. I thought I’d mention a few mobile-related resources on the Shop.org Web site for Shop.org Members (please use your Shop.org Member log in), among those:
- Webinar playback. Evolving Retail Trends Regarding Social Media and Mobile Shopping. Featuring Newell Rubbermaid, Sherwin-Williams Paint Stores, and Peet’s Coffee and Tea. (June 2009)
- Article. Sephora establishes foundation for mobile customer reviews. By Fiona Soltes, STORES Magazine. (April 2009)
- White paper. Powering Any Time, Any Place Communications: Why Integrating Mobile is Imperative Now. By Resource Interactive. (March 2009)
- Event presentation. Mobile Marketing: Opportunities for Driving In-Store Purchasing. By Scott Dunlap, CEO, NearByNow, Inc. (See slides 19 through 25.) (Shop.org Annual Summit — September 2008)
What do you think about the role of mobile in online retail in the coming months? If you’ve been looking into mobile at all of late, which resources have you found helpful?
Looking forward to continued discussion on this topic!
One Comment
Fiona: your survey is perhaps not statistically relevant, but anecdotal evidence can be a catalyst for action.
I think both of your bullet points are on the money (no pun intended): comparative shopping and reviews. But I think the key is the ability to scan barcodes — I think that is a killer feature and there are quite a few mobile apps that take advantage of it now (including mine, RecallCheck).
Best Wishes
Scott Charles
PlumbBob Market Research