National news sources and even blog.wholesalecentral.com have not only followed the growth of mobile marketing (smartphone and tablet) throughout 2011, but have declared it as one of the fastest growing browsing and shopping channels of the year. As a result, this increasingly popular marketing platform is now influencing retail industry forecasts for 2012. Yet there are some retailers who might ask, “Will mobile marketing serve a purpose for me?” Stores magazine columnist, Susan Reda, writes, “Much of the excitement around mobile isn’t [even] about transacting, it’s about influence, providing the local information shoppers are seeking about a store and being part of the conversation.” But while stronger customer connections are a sought after accomplishment, the name of the game is sales and profit. Below are the top selling products bought with a mobile device, as revealed by mobile ad network Jumptap and comScore in a recent survey. If you are a retailer carrying these items mobile marketing is more than a new trend, it is now a way to do business and pull ahead of the competition.
Mobile Purchases You Should Stock Your Shelves With
Here’s the top 10 most popular mobile purchases:
- Event tickets and daily deals: 38 percent of mobile device owners have made these purchases (tie)
- Apparel or accessories: 36 percent
- Travel; physical copies of books, video games or movies: 33 percent (tie)
- Consumer electronics (TVs, etc., but excluding mobile phones): 32 percent
- Flowers and gifts; toys: 30 percent (tie)
- General services (photo printing, shipping services, etc.): 26 percent
- Consumer packaged goods; sports and fitness: 25 percent (tie)