Proceed with caution when it comes to geotargeting
Merchants must strike a balance between relevance and invasiveness when it comes to pinpointing products and offers based on location.
The key is to be transparent about using location data, and as much as possible to explicitly request it — for example, including a form field for ZIP code when a shopper signs up to receive mobile deal alerts.
Design Within Reach’s mobile site asks shoppers if it’s okay to detect their current location when using the store locator.
Ken Burke is founder and executive chairman of ecommerce software and solutions provider MarketLive.