MARKET WATCH
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Pushpins Introduces SimpleUPC for Mobile App Developers
Pushpins, developer of grocery shopping app of the same name, has created an application enabling mobile app developers to gain access to product information. SimpleUPC was created through a partnership with Kwikee, a MultiAd product providing manufacturer-approved grocery and consumer packaged goods (CPG) images, data and related content.
Product information provided by Kwikee enables developers using SimpleUPC to access food, beverage, health and beauty, personal care and baby product information from more than 15,000 brands and nearly 5,000 different manufacturers. When using the service, developers will add just a few lines of code to obtain a powerful set of grocery data including nutrition and product images, all linked to Universal Product Codes (UPCs). The data is updated nightly to provide the latest products available.
With Kwikee, manufacturers such as Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, Unilever and ConAgra sponsor SKUs (stock keeping units) for product photography, data collection and distribution to the trade. All of the content is provided and approved by CPG manufacturers. Additional content from special projects is used to supplement the nationally-sponsored library.
Pushpins aims to make it easy for shoppers to plan, shop, and save. In addition to providing shoppers valuable grocery information including nutrition facts, Pushpins allows consumers to use their shopping list to redeem instant digital coupons on their loyalty card in more than 3,500 stores nationwide.
SimpleUPC provides app developers with a comprehensive option to obtain dynamic updates of product content. More information is available by visiting www.simpleupc.com.
Kraft Adopts Mobile Barcode Solutions
NeoMedia Technologies has granted Kraft Foods Group a worldwide, non-exclusive license to its patents related to mobile barcode resolution. In addition, Kraft has selected NeoMedia as an approved vendor for mobile barcode management solutions.
NeoMedia’s Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio, consisting of more than 74 patents awarded and pending worldwide, encompasses many mobile barcode implementations used widely across the industry. Kraft will look to leverage NeoMedia’s IP property in the future.
“Staying on top of emerging technologies popular with consumers is vital in today’s marketplace,” said Renee Zahery, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs, Kraft. “We are pleased to work with NeoMedia on this licensing arrangement to support our mobile initiatives.”
Peapod Joins OwnerIQ’s Branded Audience Networks
QwnerIQ, inventor of Ownership Targeted media and developer of an advanced real-time media buying platform, announced today that Peapod has joined its Branded Audience Networks.
“At Peapod, we’ve built an incredible asset that’s used by millions of busy online grocery consumers every month,” said Peapod Interactive VP and Managing Director Tim Dorgan. “Looking at the advances in today’s advertising technology, we saw an opportunity to partner with OwnerIQ to further leverage this asset and create new kind of advertising solution for today’s media buyer.”
OwnerIQ’s unique ownership-targeting capability enables advertisers to target advertising based on the products and brands that consumers either currently own or are considering. The company recently launched its Branded Audience Networks product, partnering with top online retailers to create innovative targeted-ad opportunities.
Most Top 50 Retailers Have Basic Mobile Offerings: Report
Most retailers offer some kind of service to mobile shoppers, says a new study.
Eighty-two percent of top retailers have a mobile-optimized site, 72% have a mobile or tablet app, and 66% have both, according to research from Acquity Group, a global Brand eCommerce and digital marketing company. Its inaugural Band eCommerce Audit evaluates Interbrand’s Best Retail Brands 2012 on customer engagement across digital channels.
Most of these brands make use of basic mobile capabilities, including shopping carts (88%), featured products (85%), customer reviews (63%) and contact forms (54%), but there are improvement opportunities in many areas, including:
- Less than half (44%) of retailers evaluated currently provide click-to-call.
- Although 76% of retailers offer product image zoom capabilities on big browser, only 39% have this offering on mobile.
- While the vast majority (98%) have email opt-in options on big browser, a mere 34% support this feature on mobile.
The study also found only one in 10 brands offer up-and-coming in-store digital experiences such as augmented reality, relevant product content access, in-store loyalty applications and digital barcode coupons. Moreover, only 28% of retailers allow flexible “pay-by-phone” capabilities, including Google Wallet and PayPal, at their brick-and-mortar locations.
“Now that brands recognize the importance of the mobile channel, their focus must shift to adopting forward-looking mobility strategies to augment their in-store and big browser sales channels,” said Jay Dettling, Executive Vice President of Acquity Group. “Mobile is no longer a separate channel for eCommerce. Through this research, we uncovered many areas where brands lack progressive initiatives that contribute to a truly Omnichannel experience.”
The brands leading the way in terms of mobile, in order of scoring, include: Nordstrom, Best Buy, Walgreens, American Eagle Outfitters, Dick's Sporting Goods, Victoria's Secret, Home Depot, Urban Outfitters and GameStop. Rounding out the leaders and tied for tenth were Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic. Dollar Tree, Bath & Body Works, Big Lots, Tractor Supply and Rent-A-Center were the only retailers on Interbrand’s list without a mobile presence.
Half of Mobile Device Users Prefer Digital Comunications: Study
Consumers’ perceived value of mobile marketing is not yet aligned with marketers’ expectations, says a new study from Epsilon.
The study, Channel Preference for Both the Mobile and Non-Mobile Consumer, found that 80% of U.S. consumers surveyed are not yet interested in receiving location-based mobile offers during or after a visit to a brick-and-mortar store. Additionally, there was a notable preference, ranging from 40-50%, for digital communications among mobile device user compared to non-users.
The study is based on completed surveys from 1,991 U.S. consumers and 3,816 Canadian consumers conducted in June 2012.
“Our study found that direct mail continues to be a highly trusted and preferred channel among American and Canadian consumers and mobile usage is having a distinct impact on communication channel preferences. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to understand consumer behavior and create a two-way dialogue to incorporate each individual’s wants and needs into your marketing strategy,” said Warren Storey, Epsilon’s Senior Vice President of Product Marketing and Insights. “For marketers to be successful, they need to understand their consumers and communicate with them in a meaningful and relevant manner. This takes deep insight, sophisticated analytics and segmentation.”
Use of iPhones for Medical Info Grows
The number of consumers using iPhones to gather medical information has grown by 94% since 2011, says a new study by The Patient’s Guide. The online medical publishing company predicts iPhones will surpass desktop computers for gathering this information within two years.
The study, based on 12 million visitors to the site over two years, found that the iPhone topped the list of mobile devices used to seek medical information online, accounting for 41% of total mobile traffic this year.
“Knowing that mobile activity has grown significantly over the past three years, we have paid close attention to the trends and patterns shaping the way consumers behave in this space,” said Jasson Gilmore, The Patient’s Guide co-founder and CEO. “We have seen a sea change in the way consumers use mobile devices to research medical topics online.”
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