Millions of people no longer head home to sign on to the Internet to shop. And that number is growing as fast as iPhone, Android and BlackBerry mobile devices can be stocked in stores.
One in three mobile phones in the hands of American shoppers this holiday shopping season will be smart phones that empower — and entice — consumers in real time.
Last year, more than 60 million Americans were mobile Web users, up 33 percent from 2008, according to Nielsen. This holiday season, Nielsen predicts one-third of all mobile phones in use will be smart phones, up from 21 percent a year ago.
Consumers expect those little screens to deliver. They want mobile applications to mimic the best of their favorite store Web sites and to deliver strangers’ quality ratings that they’ve come to rely on for advice in buying everything from a set of sheets to a hotel room.
If an item isn’t on the rack, customers want to see what else is available — a la the “people who bought this also bought” feature made popular by online retailers like Amazon.com. They want to comparison-shop without leaving the store. They want to know if an item is available at a different store. And, by the way, is it on sale?
The repercussions for both shoppers and retailers are enormous, said experts and technology vendors gathered at in Dallas last week for Shop.org’s annual summit of e-commerce companies. Shop.org is the digital division of the National Retail Federation.
Retailers can no longer strategize independently for their stores, Web sites and mobile shopping channels, said Mitch Joel, author of “Six Pixels of Separation” and president of Twist Image.
“It’s all connected. People expect it, and it’s not going away.
“Ten years ago, it was search engines. We know the trajectory and where it’s going. Consumers are…