A shopper enters your store and begins to browse. She appears genuinely interested in that new line you recently added. Suddenly, she freezes and turns her attention to something in her hand. Seconds later, she makes a beeline to the door—avoiding any further contact with your products or sales associates.

Was this shopper’s journey interrupted by supernatural forces? A paranormal event? Try “para-mobile” activity—the influence of mobile, social and local information on in-store experience.

Trapped in a dimension that transcends sales channels, para-mobile entities such as Foursquare,… read more.

Mobile has become an integral part of the shopping experience. So much so that some people propose retail “reps” will become obsolete as information (often more accurate than that provided by the rep) is more quickly gathered by smartphones. And, while many are rushing to write the obituary of the sales rep, history and recent trends convince me they have a lot of life left to live.

Back in the ‘50s, people contended that waiters would vanish with the advent of automats. By 2000, it was assumed we would have flying cars and robots would do all our household chores. Clearly, these things didn’t happen. And, in the one industry that did… read more.

All roads are leading to mobile. And shopping is no exception. It is only a matter of time before we shift from designing strategies for the in-store “point-of-purchase” message to the more measurable and profitable “speed-to-purchase” experience. This shift is enabled by the shopper’s mobile wallet and supported by rapid expansion in the mobile financial services and technologies categories.

Until recently, traditional, well-crafted point-of-purchase materials were a norm in the shopper journey. The best point-of-purchase examples reminded and encouraged shoppers to buy something. These reminders could be anything from using dramatics… read more.

We see it every day:
Retail brands pushing promotions to shoppers through mobile devices in the name of ‘engagement’.

The retailer’s goal is to demonstrate the value of its brand through emotion and experience using mobile. The problem with this push approach is that it’s shortsighted and sometimes annoying to the shopper. In fact, people pay money to remove ads and opt out of messages (or ‘engagement’) just to get them off their device.

Why do people download apps?
Shoppers download and use mobile apps for utility - to help them find something cheaper, to help them find their car, to entertain their kids while waiting… read more.

Need to transfer funds while at your kids’ soccer game? Check your balance during your morning power walk? If you’re a Wells Fargo customer, there’s an app for that. Wells Fargo, leading provider of online and mobile financial services, was recently awarded the 2010 Future Mobile Award from Juniper Research for significant innovative contributions in the mobile space. Between ATMs, brick-and-mortar, web and now mobile phone, Wells Fargo seamlessly integrates multiple channels for a superior customer experience.

George Corzine, Mobile… read more.

All aboard! We’re hopping back on the SoMoLo (social-mobile-local) train. This week, we’re chatting it up with Foursquare, the go-to mobile application for your inner-social circle and retail therapy needs. Beyond the social status perks Foursquare gives to its users, it also beefs up the bottom line for local retailers by creating new and loyal customers. Eric Friedman, Director of Client Services at Foursquare, shares his perspective on shopper conversion, Facebook Places and the privacy debate.

Check out the three-minute… read more.

It may sound like science fiction, but mobile devices that interpret human feelings could hit retail shelves before the big screen thanks to innovators like Wendy March, Senior Researcher in the People and Practices Group at Intel. Wendy talks to Two West host Ryan McNeil about the process of designing gadgets fit for James Bond himself. Formally with IDEO, Wendy creates product concepts that… read more.