August 29, 2011
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Posted by
Jenny Mehan
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Last week we saw that back-to-school spending in the U.S. is projected to decrease slightly from 2010. In an effort to boost sales and distinguish themselves from their competitors, a number of brands are using creative and innovative ways to engage with their customers. This is a smart move considering that the meteoric rise in the use of social media, smartphones, and tablets continues to drastically change the shopping process.
In a recent survey by Deloitte, 64% of smartphone users planned to use them as part of the shopping process, primarily to get price information (61%) and to ...
August 2, 2011
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Posted by
Caroline Zenss
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As more and more retailers are exploring and deploying mobile shopping sites, I wanted to shed light on emerging patterns in mobile user experience.
Here are 10 tips to help you define a better experience through layouts, buttons and features that are well-suited for m-commerce. 1.Search.Display it at the top of your mobile home page and make sure it’s prominent. Mobile shoppers are more inclined to search directly for what they are looking for.
2. Mobile Home Page.Keep it short and clean. A fixed width navigation at the top helps welcoming your customers into your mobile site. The main...
July 14, 2011
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Posted by
Antonella Pannizzo
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Koreans have a very busy lifestyle, so when Tesco grocery chain entered the Korean market they needed a way to make life easier for the busy Korean worker. The idea: “let the store come to the people”. Tesco created virtual stores in subway stations that mimic their displays in store. Using smartphones, commuters easily scan the QR code next to the product and add items to their cart. Once they complete their order, it will be delivered to their door. Tesco reports that online sales increased 130%, making them number one online and number two offline.
Tesco created the following video ...
June 27, 2011
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Posted by
Antonella Pannizzo
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So just how big is mobile commerce? In a recent report from Forrester, it is estimated that mobile commerce will top $6 billion by the end of 2011, and grow at an annual rate of 39% through to 2016 to $31 billion. This means that by 2016, mobile commerce will still only account for 7% of overall online sales.
And according to a recent survey by eMarketer, the most popular reason for using a smartphone while shopping is to compare prices of products and services (purchasing ranked as least popular reason).
However, while mobile commerce may be a relatively small percentage of online sales...
May 30, 2011
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Posted by
Jenny Mehan
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Google has unveiled the next stage in the evolution of the payment industry with Google Wallet, an app that will let your smartphone act like your wallet. Simply tap your phone to pay with a Citi MasterCard or a prepaid Google payment card. In addition to payments, Google Wallet can also support offers, loyalty cards, and gift cards. Your phone does need to be charged and turned on, but you won’t need a network connection.
Initially, Google Wallet will only be available on the Samsung Nexus S 4G by Sprint and the phone will require an NFC chip. Android is the fastest selling pro...
May 13, 2011
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Posted by
Antonella Pannizzo
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Location-based services have become very popular among smartphone users where ‘check-ins’ are required. Visa has recently launched a new program that does not require a ‘check-in’, but instead sends offers to customers using SMS messages. Visa partnered with the Gap to offer discounts to customers (via text message) in specific zip codes and demographics after they made a purchase at the retailer using their Visa card. The program is called Gap Mobile 4 U. Once a customer enrolls online, they can begin receiving updates on discounts and promotions when they use their Visa card in Gap store...
May 12, 2011
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Posted by
Caroline Zenss
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Some say 2011 is the year of the mobile. According to Dominic Gagnon, CEO at Piranha and speaker for Infopresse, it’s not. 2011 is a year for experimentations, pilots and mistakes. I think he hit the nail on the head and this is a good opportunity for me to bust three mobile myths:
Myth #1: QR codes are essential to a mobile campaign
A QR code (Quick Response) is a bar-code that can be read by camera phones. Last weekend I came across a QR code while shopping for new appliances. It said: “Read this code using your smartphone to access our rebate site”, which I did, but only to land on...
May 9, 2011
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Posted by
Jenny Mehan
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On May 3rd, 2011, Cactus was pleased to sponsor an exclusive webinar with senior Forrester analyst Brian K. Walker on his latest Big Ideas report: Welcome To The Era Of Agile Commerce. Multichannel commerce is being reborn. Traditional ways of describing multichannel commerce no longer work because customers don’t interact with companies from a “channel” perspective. Customers now use a rapidly evolving set of devices as a means of engaging across touchpoints, which they don’t distinguish from the brand or business.
The time has come to optimize customer touchpoints not channels, but ho...
May 6, 2011
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Posted by
Antonella Pannizzo
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In the last year, I’ve written a number of blog posts on various topics. I wanted to take this opportunity to revisit some of my posts and provide updates that have occurred in the last year.
Group Buying
Only a few years ago daily deal sites didn’t even exist. In the last year group buying sites have grown enormously by the vast amount of consumers looking for the best deal. The group buying industry in the U.S alone is expected to grow 138% to $2.7 billion this year compared to $1.1 billion in 2010. One of the biggest successes today is Groupon, who to date has received a total of $950...
April 20, 2011
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Posted by
Antonella Pannizzo
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According to e-Marketer, there is an estimated 73.3 million smartphone users in the U.S alone. In a recent survey of 1,491 consumers conducted by Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies, half of smartphones users use their mobile while shopping. In addition, almost a quarter of smartphone owners have made a purchase. The report indicates the top three reasons for smartphone usage:
66% compare prices of products and services
58% find the nearest location
58% check for discounts
How do you use your smartphone while shopping? ...
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