Comments on: Forget Your Well-Thought-Out Mobile Strategy: You Now Need Three http://storefrontbacktalk.com/supply-chain/forget-your-well-thought-out-mobile-strategy-you-now-need-three/ Techniques, Tools and Tirades about Retail Technology and E-Commerce Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:02:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: David Dorf http://storefrontbacktalk.com/supply-chain/forget-your-well-thought-out-mobile-strategy-you-now-need-three/comment-page-1/#comment-64366 David Dorf Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:10:00 +0000 http://www.storefrontbacktalk.com/?p=4594#comment-64366 ARTS has initially divided mobile apps into (1) Marketing and Loyalty, (2) Payments and m-Commerce, and (3) Operations (for employees), but your categories are interesting as well. Agree on the need for most retailers to address all three aspects, and the need for some sort of standardization of the platform. I have spoken with a couple companies that claim to automatically build native apps for different platforms from one source. If each retailers builds 1-3 apps for 1-3 platforms, consumers will be overwhelmed. As more retailers enter this area, its going to get tougher to differentiate. A few will get this right and lead the market. ARTS has initially divided mobile apps into (1) Marketing and Loyalty, (2) Payments and m-Commerce, and (3) Operations (for employees), but your categories are interesting as well. Agree on the need for most retailers to address all three aspects, and the need for some sort of standardization of the platform. I have spoken with a couple companies that claim to automatically build native apps for different platforms from one source.

If each retailers builds 1-3 apps for 1-3 platforms, consumers will be overwhelmed. As more retailers enter this area, its going to get tougher to differentiate.

A few will get this right and lead the market.

]]> By: Fabien Tiburce / Compliantia http://storefrontbacktalk.com/supply-chain/forget-your-well-thought-out-mobile-strategy-you-now-need-three/comment-page-1/#comment-64364 Fabien Tiburce / Compliantia Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:55:28 +0000 http://www.storefrontbacktalk.com/?p=4594#comment-64364 The value proposition of mobility is multi-faceted because mobility is an enabler, not an end it itself. Mobility is actually a lot harder to do well than web-based applications. Networks are slower, devices are smaller (usability does matter) and there is no default mobile platform (hence the reason for carrying 3 phones) unlike the PC/Windows monopoly we love to hate. What is your mobile strategy? And perhaps just as importantly what is the strategy of the technology industry giants? Google is betting that the future lies with browser and micro-browser based applications, not app stores. These applications usually run on all mobile devices with an embedded browser. Apple and Research in Motion (BlackBerry) are trying to tie you in to writing "local" applications, distributed by an exclusive app-store (although RIM does allow over-the-air installers not using their app store), using their platform and API exclusively. The Google model gives you more portability and near universal support. It also does away with the updates/patches. The app is online and always up to date. This truly is software as a service. The Apple/RIM model gives you more local control, the ability to add peripherals (scanners) but does mean you have to write to one specific platform and install and update this software. Personally I believe that app stores are a stepping stone to a truly web service based world. I think the Google model will eventually eclipse the Apple/RIM model. Retailers should review their options and carefully evaluate which model is best for their current and future operations. The value proposition of mobility is multi-faceted because mobility is an enabler, not an end it itself. Mobility is actually a lot harder to do well than web-based applications. Networks are slower, devices are smaller (usability does matter) and there is no default mobile platform (hence the reason for carrying 3 phones) unlike the PC/Windows monopoly we love to hate. What is your mobile strategy? And perhaps just as importantly what is the strategy of the technology industry giants? Google is betting that the future lies with browser and micro-browser based applications, not app stores. These applications usually run on all mobile devices with an embedded browser. Apple and Research in Motion (BlackBerry) are trying to tie you in to writing “local” applications, distributed by an exclusive app-store (although RIM does allow over-the-air installers not using their app store), using their platform and API exclusively. The Google model gives you more portability and near universal support. It also does away with the updates/patches. The app is online and always up to date. This truly is software as a service. The Apple/RIM model gives you more local control, the ability to add peripherals (scanners) but does mean you have to write to one specific platform and install and update this software. Personally I believe that app stores are a stepping stone to a truly web service based world. I think the Google model will eventually eclipse the Apple/RIM model. Retailers should review their options and carefully evaluate which model is best for their current and future operations.

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