Tag: mobile commerce news

Google acquires Incentive Targeting

| December 3, 2012

 

Google announces acquisition of retail coupon firm

Google has announced that iIncentive Targeting Acquired by Googlet has acquired retail coupon firm Incentive Targeting. The massive technology company has been showing increasing interest in mobile commerce and marketing recently, hoping to engage a new generation of consumers that have become highly reliant on mobile devices. According to Mike Dudas, a member of Google’s mobile commerce division, the acquisition of Incentive Targeting will help Google focus on coupon marketing campaigns that will be directed at very specific demographics.

Incentive Targeting boasts of advanced sales analysis system

Incentive Targeting was founded in 2007 and has partnered with several retail chains to develop highly targeted marketing campaigns. Earlier this year, the company was granted a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “a computer-implemented method and system for conducting a search of electronically stored information.” This system enables advertisers to analyze sales information and use this information to develop highly specialized coupon campaigns.

Google shows interest in coupons for advertising

This system is likely what caught Google’s eye in the first place. The company has made major strides in the field of online advertising, especially through engaging mobile consumers. These consumers have proven especially responsive to participating in mobile marketing campaigns that provide them with some sort of special offer, such as digital coupons. Though Incentive Targeting’s system is often used for physical marketing campaigns, it can also be tuned to be used for online business, something that Google has shown interest in doing in the past.

Mobile marketing continues to be a major focus of Google

Mobile marketing is becoming an ideal way to engage the growing audience of mobile consumers. More people have access to mobile devices now than they ever have, creating an opportunity for advertisers to establish a constant connection with these consumers. If Google can leverage the technology developed by Incentive Targeting to engage these people, it may be able to see a major uptick in its mobile marketing and online advertising business.

Cyber Monday breaks sales records across the board

| December 1, 2012

 

Cyber Monday mobile commerceCyber Monday the most successful day in retail history

Cyber Monday has come and gone and left the retail industry rejoicing what has become one of the most successful holiday shopping weekends ever. Retailers saw record sales on Cyber Monday as shoppers flocked to e-commerce sites to make purchases online. According to IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark, online sales this year rose by 30% over what they had been on Cyber Monday in 2011. IBM suggests that Cyber Monday has become the most successful online shopping day the retail industry has ever seen.

Consumers flock online for major deals

Consumers did not just use their computers to buy products online, many of them also turned to their smart phones and tablets. Mobile devices accounted for a significant portion of the sales that retailers saw on Cyber Monday. Indeed, many retailers sought to engage consumers through various mobile commerce efforts that offered deals specifically to those that made purchases using a specialized application or a smart phones or tablet.

Mobile sales soar due to the efforts of retailers

Part of the success that retailers saw through their online platforms comes from the fact that they did not actually wait until Monday to begin providing deals. Traditionally, retailers wait until Cyber Monday arrives to begin offering online-only deals. This year, however, many decided to introduce these deals on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, hoping to take advantage of the holiday shopping buzz. This proved especially successful among mobile consumers who were eager to use their devices to find products they were interested in.

Consumers still have time to benefit from mobile commerce initiatives

Though the most significant holiday shopping weekend of the year has come to an end, mobile commerce is still expected to play a major role in the remainder of the holiday season. Consumers have plenty of time to continue shopping before Christmas arrives and they will also be able to take advantage of the deals offered by retailers as that day draws nearer.