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Report: Upcoming Holidays Are Warming Some Retailers’ M-Commerce Cold Feet

Written by Fred J. Aun
August 23rd, 2009

As we pointed out in a recent package of stories, retailers have been slow to deploy mobile sites that actually support purchases. However, the lure of potential holiday dollars seems to be inciting at least some of those foot-dragging merchants to lean on third-party mobile site developers to quickly create M-Commerce sites.

Representatives of several mobile commerce technology vendors have said they’re suddenly being pressed by retailers to develop mobile sites or applications before December. Folks from Usablenet, Digby and CardinalCommerce told the publication they’re working on rush-job M-Commerce sites or apps for economy-battered retailer clients that want to make sure they offer consumers every possible opportunity to buy something for the holidays. For example, Jason Taylor, vice president of mobile products at Usablenet was quoted as saying the company expects “to launch 10 mobile retail Web sites between September and November” and Digby CEO Dave Sikora said “there’s definitely a push right now to have some kind of mobile presence for the holiday season. There’s a sense of urgency right now to engage with customers in the mobile channel with the thinking that come January they’ll learn from the holidays and create a whole mobile strategy.”

Posted in E-Commerce, IT Strategy/Industry, Mobile/Wireless/Contactless, Payment Systems
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