A new study, conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation’s Mobile Retail Initiative, shows an increasing number of people want to be “tuned in” more than ever before via their mobile phones. Among the results:
• Nearly nine out of 10 adults (87.5%) say they have a cell phone, an increase of 17.9 percent from January 2006 (74.2%).
• 41.5 percent of adults want a cell phone with internet access, compared to just under one-third (32.6%) who said so in July 2008.
• More than half (51.4%) of adults 18-34 years old say they want to be able to surf the web on their phone, compared to the 41.0 percent who said so in July 2008.
• Over half (51.1%) of 18-34 year-olds say they want a cell phone with email access, up from 28.1 percent in January 2006.
• 42.6 percent of all adults want email on their phone, up significantly from 22.5 percent four years ago.
“The combination of new technologies coupled with consumers’ desire to adopt these new apps are redefining the cell phone into a ‘consumer communicator’,” says Phil Rist, Executive Vice President of Strategy, BIGresearch. “Marketers and retailers should leverage shopper’s needs to stay connected by providing information and communications to assist them with their purchase decisions.”
• Nearly nine out of 10 adults (87.5%) say they have a cell phone, an increase of 17.9 percent from January 2006 (74.2%).
• 41.5 percent of adults want a cell phone with internet access, compared to just under one-third (32.6%) who said so in July 2008.
• More than half (51.4%) of adults 18-34 years old say they want to be able to surf the web on their phone, compared to the 41.0 percent who said so in July 2008.
• Over half (51.1%) of 18-34 year-olds say they want a cell phone with email access, up from 28.1 percent in January 2006.
• 42.6 percent of all adults want email on their phone, up significantly from 22.5 percent four years ago.
“The combination of new technologies coupled with consumers’ desire to adopt these new apps are redefining the cell phone into a ‘consumer communicator’,” says Phil Rist, Executive Vice President of Strategy, BIGresearch. “Marketers and retailers should leverage shopper’s needs to stay connected by providing information and communications to assist them with their purchase decisions.”
- KC's View:
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No argument here. Retailers without a mobile strategy are playing a dangerous game that almost inevitably will lead to obsolescence.
BTW....I think there is pretty good evidence that the big CPG companies - such as Coke and Pepsi - understand the mobile connectivity game, and are doing everything they can to target and communicate with their customers via this technology. Retailers that do not understand this and look to level that playing field also run the risk of being disenfranchised from the relationship.
