Retailers enhance cross channel retail with mobile apps

Ross Densley

“Hundreds of thousands of customers are already shopping with us on their mobile phones and market data is telling us that this will soon be millions”

Cross channel retail is too important for retailers to ignore; the benefits are just too huge. That is why it's not overly surprising that retailer Marks and Spencer has launched a new version of its website, optimised for use on mobile phones.

In July 2009, Tesco openly opened its website, Tesco.com to third-party developers and programmers to make available the growing number of devices that consumers use for internet access. Now Marks and Spencers has followed suit along with shoe retailer Barratts, all in an effort to ramp up their mobile commerce strategy.

Cross channel retail mobile apps

Marks and Spencer has opted for its own app, in an effort to reach across all mobile phones. Barratts have opted for an iPhone application (although apps for other mobile operating systems including Android, Blackberry and Nokia will be released later this year); both retailers identifying that cross channel retail can aid sales and widen their collective brands. Despite www.marksandspencer.com being accessible via mobile phones before the launch, the new site has been developed and designed be faster and slicker whilst mobile browsing.

Customers searching the Marks and Spencers website via a mobile can now browse and purchase over 24,000 products, covering a multitude of items from clothing, home and furniture, technology such as TVs and iPods and gifts such as flowers and food hampers.

"We expect customers to buy a wide range of products on their mobile, from suits and dresses right through to technology and can see gifting-on-the-go, flowers and hampers for example, becoming extremely popular," said M&S Direct director Dave Hughes.

M&S embrace cross channel retail

Marks and Spencers launched its website in 2000, and in ten years, it has had over four million users. There are 800,000 mobile users currently access the main website via their phones and 600,000 have signed up to its SMS alert service. The site, m.marksandspencer.com, which went live this week, was chosen instead of an application – the route many other retailers have taken – since M&S would have had to make a different app for each mobile phone brand.

"This is a major step forward in mobile retailing. Mobile optimised shopping sites have been done before by specialist retailers, but M&S entering the market with 21 million customers, one of the UK’s most recognised brands and a well-known range of products changes the mobile retail landscape," M&S Direct director Dave Hughes said.

"Hundreds of thousands of customers are already shopping with us on their mobile phones and market data is telling us that this will soon be millions. The new site allows these customers to browse and buy from their mobile device without the frustrations that come with trying to do the same on a traditional website."

Barratts are initiating their first iPhone app with the help of Salmon, specialists in delivering eCommerce solutions, and hope the new app will deliver a virtual shopping experience that encourages customers to explore and interact with their branded footwear.

Salmon plan to take the Barratts iPhone app to the next level, adding apps that will allow users to click and collect, target SMS marketing and promotions and find stores via GPS.

"We are currently working with Salmon so that we can offer an even more compelling mobile experience for customers. To do this Salmon will develop more interfaces between Barratts in-store POS systems, website, call centre and back office systems. Once this is complete our aim is to allow customers to email, mms and Facebook their outfit choices to friends, and upload their "completed look" to the Barratts website to enter a dedicated "My Barratts Style" online competition. Salmon will also help us implement full commerce capabilities with customers able to purchase online for home delivery or click and collect. Together we are also looking at loyalty recognition and voucher fulfillment with scannable barcodes which will all help us to provide a totally integrated experience for the customer," said Ken Platt, Head of eCommerce, at Barratts.

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