Mobile Gift Cards For the Busy Shopper
Mobile gift cards are the next step in shopping for Americans. Already a growing number of businesses offer shoppers the opportunity to purchase mobile gift cards, which greatly simplifies the transaction and eliminates postage, shipping/handling fees, and time delays associated with traditional cards.
Developing a strategy for mobile gift cards does not have to involve expensive equipment or complex application development. The technology can be simple, and the more straightforward and convenient for the average mobile user, the more popular it will be.
One way to reach out to consumers with mobile gift cards is by having a website customized for mobile. Not every cell phone user is a smartphone owner-only about a quarter-but those who do use their smartphones use them a lot. If they can access an easy-to-navigate mobile site that allows them to purchase a gift card and have it directly sent to a friend's cell phone number, they are far more likely to shop with you than your competitor.
But even for non-smartphone-owning customers, mobile gift cards can be a huge draw. When a customer purchases one from a business, whether online or in person, he or she can be given the option of having the gift card sent as a text to a recipient's cell phone. The gift card contains a code, and can be used exactly the same way a physical gift card is used, with purchases deducted from the amount and unused balances saved automatically.
When considering whether or not mobile gift cards are right for your business, ask yourself: What are the biggest reasons people choose not to purchase these cards?
Shoppers do not always know what stores are local for a long-distance friend or relative. People don't want to guess and hope that a certain retail or dining establishment is in the recipient's neighborhood. Customized mobile sites and location-based applications tell shoppers right away what shops are convenient to the recipient. Have store-locating information prominent on your mobile website.
Mailing physical cards is a pain. When a shopper purchases a gift card from a physical establishment, she or he must consider the postage and process for mailing the card. While many stores will ship the card to the recipient, the shipping/handling fees are annoying-especially when a customer is charged $4.99 to ship a $10 or $20 card. A mobile gift card sent by text incurs only the messaging fee (if there is one), which is far less than a shipping fee.
Shoppers do not want to wait in long and inconvenient customer service lines. This applies primarily to large shopping malls and outlets, where the gift-card purchasing process is time-consuming and out of the way of a customer's normal shopping routine. Particularly during the holiday season, when the lines look endless, a mobile buying process would appeal to many time-limited shoppers.
Shoppers are not sure that the card will be used. Even if you know that the store is in the recipient's region, can you be sure that he or she will remember to carry the card around? But you never wonder if your friends and relatives will remember to carry their cell phones. Mobile cards can be stored for as long as the user owns the phone number, ensuring it is with that person any time he or she shops.
A knowledgeable developer can customize your website for mobile and work with you to create mobile gift cards that are sent via text message. Like mobile coupons, they reach interested shoppers instantly and cheaply. Using the automated technology you already have in place, mobile technology can expand your market reach, make you more convenient and tech-savvy than your competitors, and ultimately give you a huge edge with mobile shoppers.
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