Contrary to other mobile shopping systems powered by online retailers like Amazon.com and Become.com, a small NY-based company ShopText has added a Twist in shopping experience by using SMS or text messages as its weapon.
From The New York Times:
At the center of the technology is ShopText, a small company in New York that takes the orders, charges the consumer's credit card and ships out the merchandise. To use the system, a consumer must first place a phone call to ShopText to set up an account, specifying a shipping address and card account. After that, all purchases can be made by thumb.
The technology will also help magazines in trying to prove their effectiveness as marketing vehicles. Marketers can already determine how many people click on their Internet advertisements, and with the ShopText system they will be able to tell which magazines generate the most sales, because each text code can be unique to the magazine it appears in.
Will this concept alter the emerging mobile shopping practices promoted by online giants or will it be just one of those short-lived innovations?
In general, will mobile shopping erode the traditional shopping experience (mall hopping) and "therapeutic claims" by women that we, men, cannot fully fathom? I happen to believe that shopping is all about the journey and not the destination. I guess the success of this business model is an explicit refute to my assumptions.
Via MarketingVox
April 27th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
I think this will work, but only for a specific type of purchase. Here’s a free business idea for anyone who cares: set up mobile concessions at ballparks where people can order from their seats by texting what they want and their seat numbers.
In fact, if any concessions companies out there want to do this, give us a call and we can help set you up.
Seriously, though, with PayPal Mobile’s Text2Buy and services like this, I think it’s a possibility, especially for things like TV shows that say “SHIRT + your size” to 12345 to buy this shirt”.