In the retail world, merchandising is crucial to maximizing sales through proper design, display, pricing and discounting.  Online retailers have had many years of experience in testing and refining merchandising for e-commerce. 

With the proliferation and adoption of smart phones, retailers are now faced with the challenge of once again adapting  merchandising for the mobile experience.  Not an easy task when you consider the limitations presented by the smaller interface.

The launch of new devices with improved form factors such as the iPad or Microsoft’s recently announced Courier product and their downstream potential for e-commerce, may help in the evolution of ‘mobile’ merchandising, or merchandising for small devices.

Until then, there are a couple of recommendations retailers can follow listed in a new piece from Mobile Commerce Daily on  "How retailers should merchandise on mobile", including leveraging the inherent personal and social nature of the mobile device via social media and user generated content.