Retailer Lands’ End is driving mobile sales this season with a commerce-enabled iPad application and a loyalty SMS program.

Lands’ End is using mobile marketing initiatives in conjunction with other marketing channels, including Web, in-store, email and social. The retailer is also partnering with Donorschoose.org for digital charity donations.

“We have seen an increase in customers visiting our mobile commerce site from their smartphones, as well as the full Lands’ End site from their tablet devices,” said Michele Casper, director of public relations at Lands’ End, Dodgeville, WI.

Mobile web users are notoriously impatient when it comes to finding what they want on their mobile device. If they come to your site looking for something and have to do a lot of zooming and scrolling to find the information they are looking for, they will just go to the next site.

Most mobile users are looking for specific things when they come to your site on their mobile device and with the cost of data plans, they need to be able to find those things quickly. They are usually most interested in your location and/or a way to contact you. Depending on the type of business, they may also be looking for your hours of operation and/or some of the products or services you offer.

But, the increasing use of mobile devices is opening some new marketing avenues for businesses. You no longer have to depend on phone book, printed media ads, radio and tv ads, and displays exclusively to reach your customers. There are many new and innovative ways to reach them and promote a sense of loyalty from them as well as get some good “word of mouth” exposure.

Lands’ End is using a SMS loyalty program that rewards consumers with rewards and discounts from the retailer.

To opt-in to the program, consumers text the keyword LANDSEND to the short code 41963.

In addition to the mobile initiatives, Lands’ End is also using other digital marketing initiatives for the holidays.

The company will promote holiday deals and exclusives on its Facebook page, which users can shop from.

Shoppers can also receive holiday tips, giveaways and access to fun events and giveaways via Twitter.

Additionally, Lands’ End is tweaking its email format to make them more optimized for mobile devices.

“At Lands’ End we have always strived to meet our customers where they are,” Ms. Casper said.

“From our 24-hour a day toll-free number launched in 1980, to our ecommerce site launched in 1995, we have changed as our customers’ needs have changed,” she said.

So, you can quickly increase your business by using new technologies that are available to you now. One of the first steps is to make sure you have a mobile optimized website. Then, you can reach current customers, new customers, and create repeat customers through mediums such as SMS marketing, social marketing through venues such as Facebook and Twitter, and special digital coupon offerings. Definitely something to consider, especially in these economic times.

Article quoted came from Mobile Commerce Daily. To read the original article: http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/2011/11/16/lands-end-aims-to-drive-holiday-sales-via-apps-sms

Holidays May Herald The Year Of The Mobile Shopper

By Andria Cheng

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)–When the holiday shopping frenzy of 2011 kicks off later this month, it could be the year of the mobile shopper.

A record number of consumers will shop from their mobile devices this coming season, according to a forecast from IBM Coremetrics, which studies online data from 500 leading U.S. retailers. And retailers seeking to tap into that trend will be forced to adapt.

“It’s going to play a big part of how consumers are buying this holiday,” said John Squire, chief strategy officer of IBM Coremetrics, in an interview. “Mobile users have less patience. They are surgical shoppers. Retailers are going to have to do a really good job in targeting their messages and promotions for mobile users.”

Retailers who do optimize for mobile could see some big rewards by doing so. Mobile is becoming the new internet access of choice and is expected to soon displace PC’s as the way most people go online. Retailers that have already started adapting to this trend are enjoying some pleasant benefits.

Among the retailers that have earned plaudits for targeting mobile users are department stores including Macy’s Inc. (M) , Nordstrom Inc. (JWN) and J.C. Penney Co. (JCP). All have launched apps based on streamlined pages specifically for mobile use, and fast downloads, designed as an alternative to conventional Web browsing, Squire said.

As an illustration that their online and mobile strategy has paid some dividends, the department store group has posted above-average 20% online sales growth in each month of the year so far. Adds Squire: “Retailers that saw these trends early have made some good bets and investments.”

For the first time, the percentage of shoppers buying from their mobile phones is expected to rise above the double-digit threshold to 15% in November, compared to 4.5% in last year’s holiday season, and less than 1% in 2009, Squire said.

In October, 9.6% of online shoppers made purchases through their mobile devices, up from 3.4% a year earlier.

To take advantage of this new trend, retailers should at the very least have a mobile optimized website. They should also consider doing promotions utilizing QR codes and coupon specials. For most businesses and especially restaurants, text marketing to their loyal customers with mobile only specials can increase their revenues by up to 25%.

Article quoted from the Wall Street Journal as distributed by Smart Brief.
To read the full article quoted above go to: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20111104-714744.html?mod=dist_smartbrief