• by Nathan Pettyjohn , May 13, 2011

Over the next five to ten years, emerging mobile technologies will deliver new and unprecedented retail experiences as in-store and online shopping converge. Technologies, including location-based services, intelligent mobile search and mobile advertising will deliver an enhanced experience for shoppers and tremendous opportunities for retailers, manufacturers and marketers.

The use of in-store mobile technology offers an unconventional experience compared to shopping online, or shopping in-person without a mobile device. Most shoppers will never conduct all of their shopping online; there is always a desire to smell the fragrance of coffee, feel the form factor of a gadget or try on a pair of jeans before making a purchase decision. The physical characteristics consumers attach to shopping contribute to the sensory pleasure and overall experience of making a purchase. Emerging mobile technologies complement in-store experience by adding the efficiency of online shopping to this gratifying physical experience.

Consumers and retailers alike want to ensure efficiency, fair prices, and convenience. Several years ago, manufacturers coordinated most brand promotions. Now, with the advent of social and mobile technologies, retailers have the ability to deliver more effective marketing campaigns than ever before. Shoppers, constantly attached to their mobile devices, dictate how retailers communicate with them. Retailers that neglect the importance of mobile marketing channels to reach their customers will fall behind their competitors.

The next generation of interactive merchandising will offer a variety of new challenges and opportunities. Tracking shoppers' actions and decision processes through the retail environment, once a marketer's dream, is now reality, delivering new and useful information to retailers every day. The depth of information uncovered assists merchandisers in further understanding not only what customers are doing, but why, in real-time. Retailers receive an unprecedented amount of intelligence, while consumers will be targeted with a more efficient, pleasant experience that delivers the information, offers and opportunities that they want, and nothing else.

Information and special offers are now delivered to users in new ways. Imagine that you are passing your favorite grocery store when your phone pushes you an offer alert. Your intelligent shopping app knows that you just added coffee to your shopping list, knows that you are driving past the store, and knows that your favorite brand of coffee is on sale today at this particular location. You save time and money, while the marketer is enabled to deliver a more targeted message to a more receptive audience.

More shoppers are engaging with mobile technology than ever before. Seventy-three percent of mobile-powered shoppers now prefer peering into their phones for basic assistance instead of talking to a retail clerk, according to a study by Accenture.

As users become more tied to their devices, there are increasing opportunities for brand integration at every level of the mobile experience. Games and incentive programs will drive loyalty and develop brand connections on an emotional level by engaging consumers in new, interactive mediums. These programs are encouraging customers to increase both in-store and online interactions with brands.

As users familiarize themselves with more of these innovative technologies, marketers will have access to more information and a better understanding of their audiences, which will lead to the delivery of more targeted, relevant content, and in turn, users will become more engaged with the brands that connect with them in the right ways.