iPads Key to Starting Up Luxury Auto Sales

Bob Bentz    Internet Marketing, Mobile Apps, Mobile Marketing, Mobile Websites, Text Message Marketing     autos, consumption, mobile

Think mobile marketing is all about pizzas and night clubs? Think again.

Autos are one of our biggest categories. In fact, the exclusive 2012 study by ATS Mobile interns showed that the automotive industry was the second largest user of our text message marketing solution at 84444.com and 84444.ca. That ranks autos just behind restaurants and ahead of night clubs!

This should come as no surprise as we’ve long known about affluent users and their love of iPads. Tablet ownership is more widespread among affluents than any other income group and those numbers continue to grow according to Ipsos MediaCT. In July 2012, 27% of affluents owned tablets.

Majority of US Smartphone Owners Use Devices to Help them in Shopping

Bob Bentz    Internet Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Text Message Marketing     smartphone shopping behavior

According to a report by research firm Leo J. Shapiro and Associates, it was found that two-thirds of US consumers with smartphones have used their devices to help them in shopping. The February 2012 survey also found that 38% of the respondents explored products on their smartphones while shopping inside the store. Customers are using web-enabled devices for a variety of purposes, such as finding out more information about a product, comparing price etc. Customers are “pre-shopping” on smartphones before visiting to a retail location.

Once near the point of sale, more than one in 10 smartphone owners used their phones to compare prices at different stores or websites. This finding relates to growing concerns among retailers over the practice of “showrooming,” when customers research products in-store, but then purchase them elsewhere. Retailers can solve this problem by guaranteeing that the prices of products are steady across multiple channels—in stores, onmobile apps and on their websites.  That will give shoppers less motives to walk away from a purchase.

eMarketer estimates that there will be 115.8 million smartphone users in the US by the end of 2012, with that number growing to 176.3 million by 2015.

Percent of Smartphone Audience that Scanned a QR Code

Bob Bentz    Canada, Internet Marketing, Mobile Marketing, QR Codes     mobile marketing, QR Codes, smartphone, smartphone shopping behavior

During 2011, QR codes came onto the scene as a way to tie mobile and traditional marketing. According to comScore MobiLens (3 months average ending December 2011);  during 2011 it was found that among the smartphone audience, 20.3% of the United States, 16.1% of Canada, 15.6% of Germany, 12.6% of France, 12.3% of the UK, 11.9% of Spain, and 10.1% of Italy scanned a QR (Quick Response) code.

US Network Operator Share of Total Mobile Market

Bob Bentz    Cell Phones, Internet Marketing, Mobile Marketing     Mobile Network Provider, Smartphone Network Provider

According to comScore MobiLens (3 month. average ending Dec-2011), it was found that the four largest mobile network providers – Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile  accounted for nearly 78 percent  of the total U.S. mobile subscriber market. Verizon led the U.S. mobile market as the carrier for 31.6 percent of mobile subscribers. AT&T ranked second at 26.3 percent, followed by Sprint (10.5 percent) and T-Mobile (9.5 percent).

But the smartphone market shows a different scenario, with AT&T accounting for the largest share at 33.5 percent, Verizon ranked second which accounted for 30.4 percent share. Sprint, which also saw the iPhone debut on its network near the end of 2011, reached 13.7 percent of smartphone subscribers, while T-Mobile accounted for 11.3 percent.

US Top Mobile Categories by Growth in Audience

Bob Bentz    Internet Marketing, Mobile Marketing     smartphone, smartphone shopping behavior

According to comScore MobiLens, 3 months average ending December 2011 versus December 2010, U.S; it was found that the consumers progressively turn to their devices  for retail and commerce,  a tendency that many analysts would highlight as one of the most important stories for  2012. The disruptive force of mobile in the retail environment provides brands  with a significant opportunity to reach customers through a highly personal  digital channel while at the same time posing a challenge, as consumers increasingly consult their new favorite shopping  companion – their smartphone – inside stores.  In December 2011, 28.5 million mobile users  accessed online retail content  on their mobile devices, which is 87 percent increase compared to the previous year. Commerce-related content, including Electronic Payments  (up 80 percent),  Classifieds  (up 72 percent),  Auction Sites (up 70 percent)  and Shopping Guides  (up 67 percent),  all realized strong gains over the past year. Health Information has continued  to gain popularity for mobile users  leading as the top-growing  content  category in 2011, surging 134 percent  to reach 18.5 million.

Smartphones Surpass Feature Phones as the Top Acquired Device Type

Bob Bentz    Cell Phones, Internet Marketing, Mobile Advertising, Mobile Websites, Text Message Marketing     smarphone

According to comScore MobiLens, in the year 2011, there were different types of smartphones available in the market. In the US, there were more than 400 smartphone devices in the market which gave the consumers option of choosing a smartphone among different ones. In some cases, smartphones surpassed the feature phones, for the customers who bought mobile device for the first time in 2011. During 2011, Germany, France, Italy, and Canada, and the U.S. saw this milestone while the UK and Spain passed this threshold in 2010. This trend is being expected during 2012 when the majority of the mobile users are expected to buy smartphones.

Smartphone Share of Total Mobile Audience

Bob Bentz    Cell Phones, Internet Marketing, Mobile Marketing     mobile, smartphone

According to comScore MobiLens, 3 months average ending December 2011 versus December 2010, in the U.S. 27% of the mobile users used smartphones in December 2010 and 41.8% of the mobile users used smartphones in December 2011 and in the EU5 countries 31% of the mobile users used smartphones in December 2010 while 44% of the users used smartphones in December 2011. Among the EU5 countries UK, Spain, Italy, France, Germany; 34.2%, 37.6%, 35.2%, 25.8%, 25%, respectively of the mobile phone users used smartphones in December 2010. On the other hand, 51.3%, 51%, 43.9%, 40% and 37% of the UK, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, respectively used smartphones in December 2011. This trend shows how smartphones are being adopted by the Mobile Audience dramatically.

Sports Info Text

Bob Bentz    Cool Stuff, Internet Marketing    

Using text message marketing is a great way for college sports information directors to reach their fans and alumni with the most timely information available about your sports program.

Advanced Telecom Services is using its 84444.com technology to provide text message marketing solutions to sports teams and college sports information directors.  It’s the best way for SID’s to reach their fans and alumni in the most cost efficient and time efficient fashion.

Watch our video below and learn more about Sports Info Text from Advanced Telecom Services.