JCPenney is turning to its existing database to get the word out about a new SMS program that promotes the company's latest product line and doles out deals for it. Earlier this week, JCPenney sent out a text message to consumers informing them about the new product line. The company has used SMS quite a bit in the past to build a relationship between the brand and its customers.

7-Eleven has placed a mobile call-to-action on its Slurpee cups to get consumers to download its latest application and get exclusive coupons and offers. The call-to-action is a great way for the company to drive app downloads. 7-Eleven has been expanding its mobile portfolio to reach consumers no matter where they are.

Rakuten Malaysia has extended a series of mobile social properties on Rakuten Online Shopping to spur transactions and e-commerce growth in Malaysia. The company had also established a strategic partnership with leading mobile messaging service platform, LINE, to set up a corporate official account in Malaysia. This partnership will enable Rakuten Online Shopping to engage and interact with mobile users by providing real-time updates, news and promotions.

Taiwan second largest telecommunications network operator, has launched a new mobile commerce service that aims to provide more convenience to consumers throughout Taiwan. The country has emerged as a very active market in terms of mobile commerce, with many consumers showing favor for mobile shopping over traditional shopping. This trend has encouraged telecommunications companies to take mobile commerce more seriously and begin to cater to these consumers and their interests.

E-commerce may be facing another big turning point: mobile. While the opportunities are likely to be enormous, the winners are far from guaranteed. Maybe it won't be Amazon.com? Or eBay? Perhaps it will be a startup? Well, this is what Wish is hopping for

With 18,000 stores and 200,000 employees, rolling out any program at Starbucks--whether for a coffee flavor, an app, or a daily deal--is going to be risky, considering the employee training and consumer marketing involved. But the company seems almost to court risk in its willingness to move fast and push through innovation at scale, especially in the digital arena.

The Alaska Airlines mobile application for iOS users has been updated to enable users to add their boarding pass to Passbook, helping the airline improve customer experiences and increasing engagement. The airline has offered electronic boarding passes through its native apps for some time but this is the first time they will be supported by Apple Passbook. The updated app also now includes push messaging to alert users to gate and seat changes, time changes and other travel updates that can be served in real-time.

KFC is making sure consumers know about its new boneless chicken products and are able to find the nearest location to try them out via a targeted mobile advertising effort. The company is running the campaign within Pandora's iPhone application. The fast food giant has relied on mobile advertising heavily in the past to promote new products, drive in-store traffic and build brand awareness.

Some Top 500 retailers are embracing mobile commerce more aggressively than others and gaining shoppers-and sales-as a result. RueLaLa.com (No. 76), which sells designer fashion for a limited time to registered shoppers, generated 16.9%-$67.5 million-of its overall 2012 e-commerce sales of $399.9 million from mobile commerce. For ShopNBC.com (No. 98) mobile sales reached $60.0 million in 2012, accounting for 22.4% of its $268.2 million e-commerce sales. Flash-sale site Fab.com (No. 150) brought in roughly $45.0 million in mobile sales last year-30% of its Internet Retailer-estimated total of $150.0 million

Wide Open Spaces integrated an m-commerce platform with an e-commerce platform to create the mobile site. It launched the mobile site in January to test it and is formally announcing the site today. 23% of the e-retailer's traffic and 17% of its revenue stem from mobile devices, it reports.