Chicago–Is mobile commerce a vital channel for retailers? Yes, according to Imran Jooma, president of e-commerce for Sears Holdings. In his keynote Wednesday at the Internet Retailer Conference and Exposition, Jooma said the m-commerce channel is another way to connect with customers how and where they want.
Not only is m-commerce is the next big thing for retailers, Jooma said that it needs to be used to compliment and connect the existing customer channels. “Mobile is the epicenter of social media and multichannel,” he said. “It bridges the gap between the online and offline spaces.”
One reason that gap has been bridged is consumer adoption of social media on mobile devices. With consumers sharing their purchase patterns and wish lists on Facebook and Twitter, their friends are clicking on these links while surfing their social networks on their phones.
It also means merchants can’t design their m-commerce sites solely for iPhones and BlackBerrys. Jooma said they need to create apps along all platforms so their sites can be viewed by anyone wishing to see them.
“Give the consumer the power of choice no matter what device they are on,” Jooma said. “Mobile commerce is all about giving the customer the ability to shop their way, regardless their platform.”
What else did Jooma have to say about setting up an m-commerce site?
“Keep it fast and simple,” Jooma advised. “Think about the customer and what can make his or her life easier.”
You also want to make it personalized and relevant, he added. “Use everything you know about customer, and the location of the customer, to create relevancy.”