Shop Till Your Cellphone Drops!
loricunningham
Towards the end of 2009, there were 223 million US mobile phone users(1). Of those users, 60.7 million phone users accessed the web from their phones-- a 33% increase from 2008(1). By mid-2011, this number is estimated to double(1). It is predicted that 40-50% of phone sold this year will be smartphones(1). With the advancement of smartphones and their widespread adoption, mobile commerce is on the rise.
According to ABI Research Inc., a technology research firm, consumers will order $2.2 billion on physical products this year.(2)
That's twice as much as was spent in 2009(2). Mobile shopping is increasing due to its convenience and increasing ease of use. What was once an awkward experience, shopping online with a cellphone is becoming increasingly simpler due to specialty mobile commerce shops.
Major retailers are spending $100,000 or more to upgrade their websites to make mobile shopping easier(2). Just one to two clicks and your items are purchased and on their way. Major retailers such as Wal-mart, Target, Home Depot, Amazon, eBay, and even specialty retailers as Armani, Lilly Pulitzer, and 1-800 flowers have developed mobile apps to make the mobile shopping experience easier.
Michelle Kelly, vice president of e-commerce, online marketing and stores for Lilly Pulitzer, a women’s clothing retailer, has a vision of a “consumer being at a party and thinking a friend's dress is gorgeous, looking it up on her phone and buying it."(2) As long as your cellphone service doesn’t drop during your mobile shopping experience, buying on impulse has never been easier!
For me, one of the benefits of having a smart phone is the opportunity to compare prices--from right inside the store! In my next article, I will cover various ways you can comparison shop on your cellphone.
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(1) Nielsen Company as of Nov 2009, company-wide reports and surveys
(2) WallStreet Journal by June 11, 2010 Dayna Mattioli Retailers Ring Up New Sales on Smartphones
June 24, 9:52 pm