Minimizing costs / Maximizing returns while Going Mobile in Retail Environment

Customer expectations for the shopping experience have grown tremendously in the past decade with the proliferation of internet-based retailing and the empowerment of the consumer to comparison shop using ever richer detail and instantaneous information. The more recent onset of mobile phone-based retail integration has served to raise these expectations even higher, with consumers demanding fast and superior service from anywhere and at any time. This consumer mind-set extends itself full circle back onto the shop floor as well, with customers expecting to find what they need and get information on products immediately, and to be able to complete the transaction quickly and securely.Mobile technologies have the potential to make a consummate impact on the landscape of retailing. In the U.S. and the U.K., major retailers are investing in mobile solutions both as an alternative channel for consumer access as well as to streamline store operations. In developing countries, the ubiquity of mobile phones as compared to Internet connections makes it the clear choice for retailerslooking to enhance sales through digital channels. Gartner, in its recent retail predictions report, identifies that the mobile channel will exceed direct sales capacity of other offline channels, such as catalog and call center sales, within just two to three years. They also cite that mobile technologies will drive significant
sales indirectly and may have an even greater impact than e-commerce by the year 2013. With this is mind, Gartner recommends a multi-channel mobility strategy for retailers.