More Mobile Support Coming from MRI

Every day, it seems, the trade media contains articles on mobile in retail. One recent headline said, “Mobile Contributing $1 Billion to Google’s Revenue Streams Annually.” A whitepaper by the Aberdeen Group reports that 38 percent of retailers have implemented mobile applications; half are planning to do so — of that number, 30 percent intend to do so this year.

During a visit to one of the leading home center stores the other day, the manager was excited to show me the new mobile device that will guide employees in servicing customers and added that, in just a few weeks, customers with smartphones will be greeted on arrival and offered the options of multiple services and promotions.

There can be no doubt that mobile is coming to retail. This is precisely why NRF formed the Mobile in Retail Initiative (MRI) in April with a mandate to “help retailers leverage existing and emerging mobile technologies to enhance the shopping experience and improve internal business processes by leading the industry in the development of standards and the documentation and dissemination of mobile-related best practices for the purpose of maximizing benefits and minimizing implementation expense, on-going costs and fees.”

The MRI has provided a wealth of information through publication of the Mobile Blueprint for Retail and presentations at various NRF events, including NRFtech, the Shop.org Summit and ARTS Users’ meeting. The 176-page Mobile Blueprint has been downloaded by more than 1,500 people seeking guidance on planning and implementing mobile in their retail business across a full spectrum of functions — marketing, commerce, internal operations and payment alternatives. Version 2 of the Blueprint is being developed and will address retailer comments and suggestions. Enhancements will include:
• Easier web access to individual sections of the Blueprint and the inclusion of links to related information.

• An update of the Executive Overview, with statistics and graphics to correlate with the web access features.

• A Maturity Model that presents a summary of events that must occur to enable widespread global adoption — incorporation of NFC chips in phones, security alternatives, software to allow one application to operate across the iPhone, RIM and Droid platforms, etc.

• Consolidation of the IT implementation considerations into one section.

• Expansion of the payments section to provide more information on the various alternative payment options, including PayPal.

• Inclusion of a comprehensive “mobile ecosystem” map to guide retailers and application providers in selecting standards and implementation alternatives.

Of these, the major enhancement will be alternative payments, as recent announcements by PayPal, Cimbal, Verizon and AT&T have generated huge interest in alternatives to traditional debit and credit cards. Some new payment methods use bar codes to transfer payment information between the consumer’s mobile device and retail POS instead of NFC communication chips, which are not yet standard in most phones. The greatly expanded payment section will describe a full range of solutions and include information on security and associated fees.

In coordination with Version 2 of the Blueprint, ARTS has launched a Mobile Integration standards project to create XML messages that integrate mobile applications with retail back offices. Messages to input coupons and other tenders to POS, access the retailer item file for product information, post customer purchases to sales histories, check availability of product inventory by store location and a myriad of other applications will be based on existing ARTS standards. These messages will be fully documented in a whitepaper for retailers developing their own mobile applications and to educate new mobile application vendors in retail technology.

Mobile will be featured in sessions and on the exhibit floor at Retail’s BIG Show, January 9-12 in New York. One key mobile location will be the ARTS Pavilion, where applications will be demonstrated and “meet the expert” discussions will highlight Version 2 of the Blueprint. The MRI is also planning a series of webinars in 2011 to continually update retailers in the latest mobile innovations. Ensure a successful mobile implementation by following the industry thought leadership provided by the MRI.