An interesting report as appeared on RSR about a debate with 5 (un-named) CIOs of major retailers talking about mobile and where they see things going.
App vs Mobile Web seems to be a hot topic in the sector (as with many other sectors), of which the conclusion was that apps have their place, for now at least. The problem however is one of engagement. Well aware that most users open apps once or never at all, how do you get continued engagement through them? The short answer seems lie in working with existing frequently used apps, such as Facebook and Foursquare, rather than retailer-specific apps.
There was a broad consensus that making web sites more mobile friendly was an important priority, particularly on the eCommerce side of things. Although Marks and Spencer have led the way in this area, no other UK high street retailers have developed a comprehensive mobile eCommerce site. That is likely to change this year, with rumours from mobile agencies that many retailers are keen to develop their own mobile sites. There is still a long way to go with the retail sector getting on board with mobile, but at least it looks like the penny has dropped in this respect.
Read the full article here: http://www.retailsystemsresearch.com/_document/summary/1132
Posted by Mark Brill 
