Blueprint for Taking Retail Mobile

NRF and ARTS, in collaboration with more than 40 companies and mobile-related organizations, are publishing the 175-page Mobile Blueprint to provide unbiased information on implementing mobile applications to drive your retail business.

The Blueprint will cover:
• Mobile marketing applications that focus on advertising, marketing and increasing brand awareness and loyalty among consumers. They also include product information and shopping tools that can be used to enhance the retail experience.

• Mobile commerce applications, which include traditional e-commerce on a mobile device, as well as any and all payments using the mobile device.

• Mobile operation applications, which are employee tools that help to lower costs and increase service for retailers.

• Implementation strategies your IT folks will need to create a fast, secure environment that protects customer data and integrates it with existing server-based applications.

Believe it or not, more people around the globe have mobile devices than credit cards. People have become dependent on these devices, carrying them at all times as their window to the world. The challenge for retailers is to provide consumers with mobile messaging and convenient services through a reliable and secure connection to enhance the shopping experience. The Blueprint provides information to help you plan the “right” strategy for your business model.

Rapid adoption without proper research and planning can result in false starts or simple mistakes that could compromise a retailer’s relationship with its customers. (For example: It was recently reported that a mobile gift card program displayed the user’s account number, allowing others in the checkout line to copy the number and steal the card value.) A principal objective of the Blueprint is to help you avoid similar (or worse) problems by addressing:

• The capabilities that exist on mobile phones today.

• The types of mobile applications that help consumers shop.

• The options available for mobile payments.

• The mobile applications that can help make employees more efficient.

• The technologies and standards that can speed implementation and ensure reliability and privacy.

On the horizon
Beyond answering fundamental questions, the Blueprint presents a list of “hot” mobile applications. You’re probably aware of applications that allow consumers to look at a product in your store and price shop it against the competition, but I recently reviewed an application that allows consumers to join a social network site and make individual price offers to manufacturers or retailers. If enough customers make the same offer, the application accepts it and sends a coupon allowing bidders to obtain the negotiated price at POS. Are you ready for that?

Another aspect of mobile-driven change is new alternative payment methods. This space, traditionally reserved for card companies, is seeing new players enter the arena -- PayPal, Amazon and Verizon, to name a few. In addition, ACH electronic checks may become a popular option for mobile payment processing due to the low service costs. And did I mention that the Blueprint describes the possibility that some mobile payments may be outside the scope of PCI?

Data gathered through mobile applications must be integrated with existing applications, and the quickest and most cost-effective method for doing so is by using ARTS XML POSlog, PCM product look-up and Stored Value schemas. Bookmark www.nrf.com and www.nrf-arts.org and return frequently for updates on the timing of the Mobile Blueprint release and download options.