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Convenient Shopping: The Future of Mobile Commerce

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Ty Tyner

mobilecommerce_blog (2)Chances are that in your pocket or purse right now you have access to the world’s largest shopping experience. That’s right, your mobile device is an instant access window to the world of online shopping. As more and more retailers deliver optimal mobile shopping solutions on their websites the mobile phone is becoming a consumer’s MVD (Most Valuable Device).

According to a recent study published by Adweek, 18-34 year olds are highly likely to use their mobile device as a shopping tool. This demographic goes in-store and does shopping comparisons, and then requests price matching with their phone in hand. They also favor shopping directly from their mobile device with mobile apps and mobile websites.

As this demographic matures into adulthood they will bring their shopping habits with them. According to a recent eMarketer study, by the year 2017 more than 25% of all online retail transactions will take place on mobile websites and apps. Over the past few years we have seen the exponential growth of mobile commerce. This trend will continue in the coming years as more and more students from the mobile generation join the workforce and become the independent consumers of tomorrow.

Those unsure about mobile commerce most often worry about security. However, one of the greatest advances in mobile commerce is the security factor. Mobile app developers go to great lengths to insure the safety of your data and purchases, and the encryption of cellular data transfers is top notch. On top of these built-in mobile security features ecommerce giant Paypal has just announced a new “log In with Paypal” commerce identity solution. Paypal is making mobile commerce easy for developers by allowing the customer to log in via their Paypal account, as opposed to having to create a new account for each online vendor/store. This simple system is convenient for consumers and completely secure as your transactions are backed by Paypal’s consumer guarantee.

The built in security of cellular networks and the added benefits of new technology partners like Paypal make mobile commerce a safe as well as convenient way to shop.

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How Mobile Marketing has Infiltrated Television

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Candice Beckmann

texting during tvI must admit that one of my guilty pleasures is the ABCFamily show Pretty Little Liars. They recently announced that women 18-34 are the core audience, so at least I am not alone in my appreciation for teenage murder mystery drama. During the second season of the show I noticed the pop-up ads to join their mobile club. You know I signed up for that in the blink of an eye – a chick who works in mobile and loves drama wants the MMS  teasers. Now I get video clips, photos of the characters, special insider information, and text messages from the mysterious character A.

Walking Dead, which is a less guilty pleasure because everyone in the office loves the show, has also hopped on the mobile marketing band wagon. AMC learned that the audience watching Walking Dead is a tech-savvy group, so they reacted by creating a dual screen experience. Last fall they launched a program called Story Sync. Unfortunately, it is a traditional website rather than a mobile website and the AMC mobile application has very poor ratings because the user experience is not so great. However, the tablet experience is awesome and fun to interact with. You can play trivia, respond to polls, watch video clips and read additional show information.

I read that 86% of consumers are already using their mobile devices while watching television – usually during the commercial break. People want to talk about the show they are watching by text messaging friends and sharing on social media. We are a distracted and multi-tasking audience, so you might as well use that second screen to focus our attention on the show.

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Is a Bigger Mobile Screen Better?

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Ty Tyner

Screen size is a highly debated topic among smartphone users, and this year’s smartphone models are bigger than any previous phone by far. The trend seems to be phones that are growing larger each year. As the smartphone edges closer and closer to the size of a small tablet we here at 3Seventy ask the question, does a bigger screen mean a better phone?

Web Surfing:

The user experience for surfing the web on your smartphone depends largely on the content that you are viewing. For example a high resolution display phone with a 5 inch screen will allow you to view a non-mobile website better than a smaller low resolution phone. However, if you are viewing mobile websites that are optimized for a smaller phone you will notice a good amount of wasted space on your larger displays. As web development technology continues to become more mobile focused this type of issue will become a distant memory, but for now it does remain a factor in this debate.

Gaming:

When it comes to gaming the bigger the display the better the experience. You play most games with two hands so the size factor of the phone isn’t an issue, and gamers want to play on the largest, most high-resolution platform as possible.

Ergonomics:

iphone5vsgalaxys4 (2)This may be the most important factor in the debate of the phone screen size. Apple’s iPhone has stuck to the same device width since its first release in 2007. During that time we have seen Android phones get larger and wider. While a bigger screen seems great in theory the principle behind Apple’s decision to keep their phone small is simple. It is the usability of the device with only one hand. The image to the right demonstrates the arch of the average thumb while holding both an iPhone 5 and a Galaxy S4. You can see from the image that you can touch practically any area of the iPhones screen with your thumb while holding the device in your hand. With the larger screen size you lose 60-70% of the top of your device screen as well as a good portion of the far right and bottom on your screen. Because of this a great amount of the base functionality of a large screen phone becomes a two handed experience. One Android phone, the Droid DNA, is so large that the company has released a Bluetooth accessory called the HTC Mini for it. The HTC mini is essentially a Bluetooth phone handset complete with a T9 texting number pad. Their phone is too big to use as a phone so they released a phone accessory for it. It sounds like an article from “The Onion” but it’s a real product.

So is a bigger screen better? It really all depends on the preference of the end user. If you use your phone on the go often and need quick one-handed access then a smaller smartphone is probably your best bet. If you mostly use your phone in a two-handed operation for web surfing, video watching and gaming then perhaps the larger screen phone is for you.

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Panasonic eXConnect Sponsors In-Flight Tweetathon

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Claire Tilton

TextinginAirplaneSeat“Ladies and gentlemen, now is the time to stow away your portable electronics: iPads, iPods, iPhones, and iBabies.” Light laughter flows throughout the cabin and the flight attendant continues, “We will be pushing back from the gate shortly.”

Afterward the usual flight safety talk, I shoot a quick text message under the nose of an attendant while keeping an eye on her and making sure she doesn’t move too quickly. In an unfortunate and unforeseen moment, we exchange eye contact and I quickly shut off my phone and wonder if my ride home has been confirmed.

Flight attendants may be faced with more resistance from passengers like me when it comes to shutting off their mobile devices with the growing popularity of airborne wireless connectivity. On April 8th, Panasonic eXConnect, an in-flight wireless provider, launched a Tweetathon aboard 6 planes flying over 5 different countries. Passengers were encouraged to tweet as many times as they could during the flight about menus, flight status, pictures, and thoughts while hash-tagging #High5Live in their posts. The Tweetathon occurred on five different airlines over the course of five hours, and resulted in 650 tweets, accumulating over 4 million impressions. Participants primarily used their mobile smartphones to take part in the event.

Many agree that the ever-expanding possibilities of mobile technology have reached aviation’s doorstep. Wireless internet has been available in-flight for a few years, but now in-flight wireless internet is coupled with natural impulse of mobile phone use extends our mobile activities in the sky too – mobile apps for social media, search through mobile websites and mobile apps to play games.  David Bruner, Panasonic’s Vice President of Global Communications, marks the event a “tipping point in global communications.” A tipping point that has been long coming… 35,000 feet and a few scary flight attendants is no obstacle to those who wish to stay connected with their friends and family on the ground.

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Don’t be a Brand Social Bomb, Mobile for Two-Way Conversations

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Claire Tilton

RIP_onewaytxtEveryone has one – a friend you know everything about, from little dramas to health scares, but they know nothing about you.  At times, you may be hesitant to ask how they are doing because you only have 20 minutes before your 2 o’clock meeting. They’ve shown you seventeen versions of the same baby pictures with the Easter bunny, but don’t even know that you have kids too. Sooner or later, you run out of patience, and with reassuring nods you sever the relationship.

One-way conversations are never enjoyable. This is a simple truth that should drive the way businesses market their brand and what they have to offer. A one-way conversation between two people is sometimes unavoidable, the listener must perform under the expectations of what is socially acceptable – smile and nod with some enthusiasm. However, one-way conversations between a person and a business’s marketing tactics are avoidable. In mediums like television, the web, mobile, or the radio the listener has a choice to stay engaged or remove the marketing message.

Consumers are bombarded with advertising messages, so the window of time you have to state your case without being a nuisance and win the hearts of potential customers is limited. Think about the way your business handles advertising. You could be driving customers away with all the “talking at” them.

So how do businesses initiate positive two-way conversations with consumers? Enter mobile marketing. Utilizing text marketing allows businesses to:

  1. Offer mobile coupons and promotions to increase store traffic
  2. Gain insight on their current customers

Only the customers who choose to receive messages from the business will receive messages (100% opt-in). Respecting a consumer’s time and inbox is a small courtesy that goes a long way. Stand out by not forcing yourself into their world, but rather by fitting in. Providing consumers with meaning and valuable content is key to increasing coupon redemption and store traffic as well as building a strong brand image.

Don’t be a brand social bomb, repelling potential customers with one-way communication. Be mindful of how and where you are advertising. Email blasts tend to clog up consumer inbox’s and get lost in the Spam folder. Cold phone calls often go unanswered.  Negative experiences with your brand constructs an idea in consumer’s minds of what your business is to the community. A mobile strategy is an easy and effective way to maintain positive two-way conversations with consumers and ultimately facilitate a mutually beneficial relationship between them and your business.

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Mobile Marketing Means Going Green and Making Green

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Candice Beckmann

sms-groceryAs of March 1, 2013, plastic bags are no longer permitted to be used in grocery stores in Austin, Texas. This forces us to buy reusable bags and bring them to the supermarket, but it also makes us greener consumers. Whole Foods has been using wind-based renewable-energy credits since 2006 to offset their energy use. Businesses are thinking more about how they can make their operations greener to reduce costs and how the products they use/sell affect consumers too.

It is no longer enough for us to print fewer pages in the office and depend upon digital files. The way businesses communicate with customers’ needs to change too. Grocery stores are a perfect example of high amounts of waste – circulars, direct mail and printed coupons. That is a lot of wasted paper and money. I totally understand that the use of circulars is still fairly high, but printed coupons are definitely on the decline and so is direct mail. If a grocery store was to reduce their circular printing from a run of 100,000 each week to 60,000 each week, then they can put the extra money towards a lower cost revenue driver like text marketing and be 5 times greener.

Every grocery store MUST HAVE mobile websites by now. If you do not have one, then people are shopping elsewhere or they are less informed about your product offerings and therefore buying fewer items. Get your mobile websites up and running, and make sure you stick to the 3-click rule. If it takes more than 3 clicks to get to any content, then people will stop trying. Include recipe ideas and give customers the ability to send the shopping list via text message. This makes shopping easier, and you can deliver a coupon code via text marketing too. Promote your recipes and shopping lists on digital screens in-store or posters. Let customers text in to a keyword to get the link or scan a QR code – remember that not everyone has a smartphone.

Try this out for 1-2 months and you will see impressive results. Your grocery store will be greener, customers will be satisfied, your marketing costs will be reduced, and revenue will definitely increase from the mobile coupon redemption. Go Mobile to Go Green.

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Gas Station TVs Use Mobile Marketing

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Candice Beckmann

Gas Station - SMS with Lady (2)I remember the days when gas cost about a dollar and pumps first began taking credit cards outside. It wasn’t a place of entertainment or special customer perks – just a place to get gas and move on from. Clearly, a lot has changed in the past 15 years. Technology has advanced, which has changed shopping habits and the way that we are marketed to.

Now when I approach the gas pump I am welcomed by a touch screen asking how I want to pay today. While I pump my gas commercials and ads for the convenience store run, tempting me to spend more money than I initially planned. The concept of this TV screen built into the pump has been driven by Gas Station TV (GSTV) and a few others through partnerships with the major gas companies.  The aim is to drive loyalty and additional revenue, however I think the experience can be further enhanced. Right now this is a purely pushed out message with the hope that a customer watches the screen and takes action. The gas station or convenience store knows very little else about the customer. This just seems like a missed opportunity to me. Why not ask the customer to take an action that is easily tracked and create a loyalty program tailored to him or her?

If the screen at the gas pump told me that I could text GAS to 70626 and immediately receive something for free or heavily discounted inside the convenience store, then I would take action. I would text in to get my mobile coupon and then the convenience store would have my mobile phone number in their text marketing database. Text marketing can be incorporated into most any marketing channel, which is why so many big brands like using it. It appears that very few, if any, gas stations/convenience stores have taken advantage of text marketing to create loyalty.

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Pharmacies Cut Operational Costs With Text Marketing

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Candice Beckmann

RX_mobile_smThere are so many things for us to remember these days – bill payment dates, passwords, vehicle maintenance, doctor appointments, and picking up prescriptions. It is overwhelming and difficult to remember it all, so something always ends up lost or forgotten. New technologies and innovators constantly come up with creative ways to solve issues like this one.

Mobile technology, specifically text marketing, has been a saving grace for many people and a cost effective solution for pharmacies. Several of the large companies including Walgreens and CVS have adopted text message refill reminders for their customers. It has helped to make operations run smoothly, and customers are happy to get a reminder in a place they notice – unlike email. However, very few of the independent pharmacies have implemented a text marketing solution for refill reminders. Considering that they represent 1.5 billion prescriptions each year, it is somewhat shocking to realize.

The big reason that few independent pharmacies are integrating text marketing into their refill reminder system is technology integration. Many smaller retailers use older management software for recording and processing orders. They accept orders in person, over the phone and even via fax. These tasks can be time consuming and inefficient. If some time and money was spent upfront to implement an automated solution such as text messaging, then it could relieve employees of unnecessary work and increase the time for them to spend consulting with patients.

If I was the owner or manager of an independent pharmacy, then I would do a time study of the pharmacy employees. How much time do they spend taking manual orders and translating them into a management system? How much time is spent consulting with patients? Then I would ask myself if text messaging would save time and make my team more efficient. The most likely answer is yes, it reduces some unnecessary work. Maybe it’s time to start shopping around for a solution.

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SXSW 2013: Mobile Marketing is Getting Personalized & Localized

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Candice Beckmann

sxsw_blogWhile mobile technology launches were not center stage during this year’s South By South West Interactive Conference, it certainly did not go away. Some people claim that we have app fatigue or that mobile marketing is not as sexy as it once was. However, the conversations during a few panels and on the trade show floor would say otherwise. This will be the year when brands learn to personalize and customize the messages they send to consumers using mobile marketing.

This shift to personalized messaging is particularly important for small businesses. The most active smartphones users today are very different from years past. Something has returned to these consumers – trust. To build trust between a customer and a local business is vital for the growth and sustainability of that business. Consumers are back to trusting locally and they feel good about being known by their first name.

I have seen this personalized messaging done best with text marketing, but also with mobile websites and mobile apps. Text marketing makes it easy, because on some platforms you can create text surveys for your customers and segment your future messages based upon their responses. This creates a type of preferences setup for discount offers and announcements. Ask your customers about their visits to your store:

  • How often do they visit
  • What is the most common item or service they purchase
  • Are they satisfied with customer service
  • Would they recommend you to friends
  • How is the quality of your product or service

For the people who are very satisfied or who visit you frequently, consider developing a mobile loyalty program to show your appreciation. The people who are less satisfied or who are casual customers need more of a push, so offering a large discount or free item may help to grow them into a more loyal customer. Mobile coupons have 10 times the redemption rate of printed coupons, and mobile loyalty programs are used much more frequently than those plastic cards.

South By South West has come full circle in the type of attendees – from small start-ups to huge brands, and now back to the small businesses again. Local businesses are very savvy and flexible with their marketing efforts, which is why they see the importance of mobile marketing and how they can utilize it to grow their businesses.

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