Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Mobile Search Apps Threaten Brick And Mortar
SelfService.org lists a couple mobile related search sites, one a PWC application in a story called Mobile shopping looks to change retail self-service
Mobile-based product search threatens to turn brick-and-mortar stores into showrooms for Web-tailers such as Amazon.com and other lower-priced online pure plays as consumers compare prices while in-store.
GPShopper , which has more than 100,000 users through its mobile application, lets consumers search for products at local stores and compare prices and promotions.
NearbyNow , another local search-based application, gathers local inventory feeds from mall-based stores; when users search for specific products, the application sends back an SMS detailing which stores carry the product and whether it is in stock.
SCANBUY , for example, enables shoppers to compare retail prices with online prices by taking a picture of the barcode or tapping the barcode number into a downloadable mobile application. The application then retrieves prices for the product from online comparison shopping engines.
If you're a brick and mortar shop, what services should you offer to get the consumer to buy in the store?
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3 comments:
if the consumer could pay with his phone instead of credcard wod b nice. no more slips
ScanBuy sounds awesome. Have to check that out.
I don't think all of these are a threat to brick-and-mortar. NearbyNow sends mall shoppers into stores, and GPShopper lines up a phone call to a store. Both of those likely result in an in-store sale, so it is added business.
Scanbuy is definitely a threat to brick-and-mortar. I wouldn't be surprised to find out it is funded by Amazon and eBay.
In all cases though, brick and mortar are going to have to be ready for free full information. Much like the auto industry found out when all car buyers came in with details about wholesale prices, every mobie-enabled consumer will know everything.
T
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