Mobile Experience

Reach Out and Serve Someone

In an anything, anytime, anywhere environment, consumers can have access to almost anything they seek, for the price they want, made available for them when they want it.  Ubiquitous choice has become the ultimate competitive challenge for every traditional retailer of products or services. 

If the scenario described in Gifts & Decorative Accessories is anywhere near real, retail is going to change dramatically.  In this article, a shopper in a store sees the desired product on the shelf, and at the decision moment, brings out her mobile phone instead of her credit card.  She snaps a photo of the barcode with her camera phone, scans it and sends it to a retail service such as Amazon.com or Shopping.com.  What comes back to her mobile screen is detailed product information, reviews, and a list of competing retailers within 2-3 miles of the shopper's location, with maps and directions, and maybe even more incentives to buy. 

Network Convergence ... Consumer Divergence

This year is shaping up to be the year of network convergence.  Traditional telco networks are becoming television networks with IPTV services.  Traditional cable television networks are becoming digital telephony networks.  And at this year's CES, there were frequent sightings of traditional studio and television networks converging with the wireless networks of the mobile operators.

Probably even more significant is Visa's launch of its pervasive mobile payment platform, which will converge the world's largest payment network with global mobile services networks anywhere (ASIA Travel Tips.com).  The lack of a clear and trusted standard for mobile transactions of all types has been a critical missing link in the delivery of complete experiences to individuals on the run.