Merchant Mobile Payments Leading the Way

This is not surprising to those of us who follow mobile.  We haven't seen game-changing success by tech companies looking to reinvent the way people pay, but we have seen success by individual merchants.

Read on:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/merchants-digital-wallets-leading-the-migration-to-mobile-payments-report

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Merchants are having a bigger impact on shoppers’ payments behaviors and encouraging the transition to mobile compared to universal wallets such as Apple Pay, according to a new report from Mercator Advisory Group.

A growing number of merchants are offering their own branded mobile wallets and incentivizing the use of them through offers and loyalty, something universal wallets have not taken advantage of as much. As a result, merchants are better positioned to change customer behavior and become preferred payment options, according to the report, Merchant Mobile Wallets: Mobile Payments in Action.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Retail Sales on iPhone Catch iPad

I've written extensively about the need to view "mobile" as more than just a blend of mobile phones and tablets.  Certainly the world is becoming more and more mobile.

This is big news.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/mcommerce-sales-on-iphone-catch-up-to-ipad-for-first-time-report

Here is a snippet from the piece:

For the first time, online sales on the iPhone – which have been growing steadily – caught up with purchases completed on the iPad during the first quarter of 2016, according to new data from Bizrate Insights.

The iPad was once the primary driver, by and far, for mcommerce sales, but its share of sales has been declining for several years. At the same time, the volume of sales taking place on an iPhone has been growing, resulting in each device posting a 36 percent share of online sales made on a mobile device in the first quarter.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Dunkin Brands App Update

I'm not sure how big this news really is.  You be the judge based on the following snippet:

Dunkin’ Donuts caffeinated its mobile strategy with an updated application featuring enticing imagery and a touch-friendly interface, a loyalty promotion giving away 125 points and an app pilot for Baskin-Robbins, heating up competition with Starbucks.

Huh? The app has a "tough-friendly interface"?!!?

Anyway, news in the QSR space is worth looking at if you follow what is happening in digital and technology news.  I'm a believer in what both Starbucks and Dunkin Brands are doing.  Get the updated app.  Play around.  Figure out for yourself if it is newsworthy.

Here is the full article:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/dunkin-donuts-elevates-qsr-competition-with-updated-app-loyalty-promotion

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Making Fast Food Even Faster and Easier

... as if we needed it.

This week saw a slew of announcements by quick service restaurants revealing ways they are helping lazy people be even lazier while ordering their food.

Check out the headline:

Taco Bell, Domino's, and Sonic are making it easier for lazy people to order food

Read on:

http://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-customers-reach-peak-lazy-2016-4

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Is clicking a few buttons or picking up your phone to order food too much work? No worries — fast-food companies are working to make getting a meal even easier.

From "zero-click" ordering, to messaging a bot to order tacos, to emoji-based purchases, new technology is making it easier than ever to purchase fast food.

In unrelated news the world is getting fatter and we don't know what we can do about it:

http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2016-global-obesity/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Chili's CMO: Be Our Digital Guest

Great little article over on CMO.com that focuses on an interview with SVP and CMO for Chili's Restaurants, part of Darden, Inc.

Read on:

http://www.cmo.com/articles/2016/2/19/cmo-interview-chilis-cmo-krista-gibson.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

America is currently undergoing a “food movement,” where consumers are much more conscious of what they eat and where it comes from. This naturally impacts the casual dining space and is an absolute consideration for Chili’s Grill & Bar, not only from a menu perspective, but also in how it markets to consumers.

Indeed, Chili’s SVP and CMO Krista Gibson said monitoring and meeting consumer expectations at a time when the definition of health and wellness is changing is one of her top priorities. In this exclusive interview with CMO.com, Gibson also spoke about her goals and plans for Chili’s digital guest experience, the company’s new loyalty program (with numbers to prove its success), and where the company is in its digital transformation journey.

Loyalty programs in pay at table restaurants.  A dream for some folks, a nightmare for others.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Q1 2016 Mobile Payments

Great little article that has a collection of articles on mobile payments through the first 3 months of 2016.

I see Amazon, Chase, Visa, Apple, Android and MasterCard in there.

Worth checking out:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/top-10-mobile-payments-developments-of-q1

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Retail CFOs Remodeling for Mobile

I spent the last 3 years primarily focused on the retail experiences that could be provided to customers through mobile devices, with a heavy tilt towards the in-store experience.  This is what I term creating the Amazon experience in the physical store.

Looks like the average CFO for a retail company is going this same direction.  They are now convinced and are putting their money towards these goals.

Read on:

http://www.madmobilenews.com/retail-cfos-spending-more-to-remodel-stores-for-mobile

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Chief financial officers are putting their money where their mouths are. As the industry comes to terms with the value of the in-store shopping experience, as well as the inevitable need for an omnichannel strategy, retail companies are upping their investments into these areas of focus.

...

In-store redesigns, meanwhile, are seeing aggressive spending throughout the industry. In 2015, only nine percent of CFOs devoted the largest portion of their funds to in-store remodeling. In 2016, that figure will jump to 31 percent.

In most cases, this redesign will focus on building a modern retail floor that features mobile touchpoints ...

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Amazon Payments

I found this little article over on Bloomberg to be funny and a bit interesting too.

Why would small businesses accept Amazon Pay?

Read on:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-01/amazon-payments-persuades-small-retailers-to-work-with-the-devil

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Amazon.com Inc.'s relaunch of its online payments business in 2013 was greeted with skepticism. PayPal Holdings Inc. had a huge head start and credit card companies like Visa Inc. already had products that made buying something on the Web as easy as swiping a card.

It seemed doubtful digital shop owners would want to team up with Amazon and share valuable information about their best-selling products and prices. And yet: "There's a market for selling your soul to the devil," said Gil Luria, a Wedbush Securities analyst.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant