Mobile is growing. We can all agree on that. Whether it's the actual 'year of mobile' doesn't matter one bit because there will never be such a thing. Why? Because the mobile world and how marketers approach it will be a process that will happen over many years no matter how the industry writes about it.
One of the areas where mobile is getting more traction than most is in the retail sector. It only makes sense since many people use their mobile devices while they are shopping to get more information or look for bargains. As a result, retailers are concentrating on getting a true 'first mover advantage' over the competition in this increasingly important space.
Forbes | Insights report "Retail's Mobility Imperative: A Measured Approach to the Emerging Channel" highlights this movement and shows that retailers are taking mobile seriously by jumping in but they are also being cautious to test the waters. The chart below shows that of the retailers surveyed for this report mobile is more of a reality than a theory.
As for actual tactics, here are the results of what retailers are using today as their mobile tools to carry out their strategy.
In the end though, it appears that there may be more pressing marketing matters for retailers as shown here. Note where mobile falls in the overall scheme of things.
So what is it? Is mobile really important or is just a buzzword that is more about being cool than it is about driving business? Will the real 'year of mobile' happen when it moves up the priority ladder for marketing executives or will it be when someone writes that it is? Wouldn't you think that getting a 'first mover advantage' in this growing space would push its importance up the marketing food chain a bit more?
What are your thoughts?