Part 2 of the Retail TouchPoints Mobility Report

Mobile technology is becoming a necessary component of the retail experience that helps consumers obtain news and information in real time. As a result, best-in-class retailers are deploying mobile marketing initiatives to better reach their target audience. From short message service (SMS) to applications, quick response (QR) codes and geo-fencing, these strategies present multiple opportunities to create a cross-channel shopping experience that is memorable and engaging.

Retailers such as Crate and Barrel, Macy’s, Sephora, and Target have excelled in connecting mobile marketing initiatives to other channels including email and social media. While mobile marketing is effective in allowing retailers to interact with shoppers on their personal devices, “connecting the dots” across channels is a leading challenge for retailers, according to Joy Liuzzo, VP and Director of InsightExpress.

Following Oracle OpenWorld 2011 held in San Francisco in October, Retail TouchPoints connected with Mike Webster, General Manager of Oracle Retail, and asked him to elaborate on Oracle’s cross-channel commerce platform.

RTP:  Are there particular implementations toward which more retailers are leaning this year versus other years? If so, to what do you attribute these trends?

Webster: There are two. First, we are seeing a greater shift toward implementing suites of business applications, not point solutions. I attribute this to the multichannel phenomenon: Multi-channel retailing, the interplay between commerce, mobile and stores, requires cohesive processes that reflect a holistic view of the business. Day-to-day, that means we are helping retailers and partners implement more planning, merchandising, supply chain and commerce solutions that are truly engineered to work together. Second, we are seeing an explosion of processing speeds and cloud computing. Retailers are moving to those solutions that make them more agile, and we are seeing an increased adoption of the combined hardware and software platform as a way to improve performance and spend less time on maintenance. This has implications regarding how we architect solutions and the user interface, and what consulting services we provide.

Concept: Supermarket API is an open source application-programming interface specifically designed for the grocery industry. Developed by AisleFinder, an online and mobile solution for item navigation in grocery locations, the solution is designed to provide easy access to supermarket and grocery product data. Although this data typically is difficult to obtain and update, Supermarket API gives executives access to necessary information to tackle this challenge and excel in the space. The application is powered by the technology that fuels the AisleFinder mobile and web properties. 

Team: San Francisco-based AisleFinder, the parent company of Supermarket API, is active in the retail navigation space. Its Supermarket API team designed, coded and conceptualized the solution.

Another mobile commerce patent from Apple in November. Surprised? Not likely. This application, filed last year and released this week by the U.S. patent office, is one of a series of Apple’s Near Field Communications (NFC) commerce patents. This is much NFC activity from one of the only handset providers that had not played its NFC cards.

It is clear that Apple is committed to becoming the dominant mobile wallet. It also is clear that iCloud and EasyPay services are building blocks towards a NFC-enabled wallet. It is not difficult read the tea leaves.

Let’s start with this week’s patent, which is particularly interesting. Apple addresses the possibility of a virtual SIM card, which carries the wireless phone subscriber’s credentials, to be built into a NFC secure element (SE).