The Golden Rule of mCommerce

By PYMNTS | January 9, 2011

“If you remember anything from my discussion today, the one who enrolls is the one who controls,” stressed Richard Crone, CEO of Crone Consulting.

Crone stated that carriers are the only party that already has mobile credentials (cell number, service provider, phone model, etc.) for all their customers. Consequently, he felt ISIS, the joint mCommerce network by carriers AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, could prove to be a real game-changer. In addition, carriers could use their existing ACH and remittance operations to create a new low-cost processing solution, according to Crone.

“Everyone else is on the outside looking on. You have to garner the credentials the old-fashioned way — one customer at a time. That’s why the foundational step starts with mobile self-service,” said Crone.

He noted that it cost PayPal more than $150 million to acquire enrollment info for their first 5 million accounts, saying that the company now has more than 80 million active users 10 years later.

Yet considering the value the mobile medium presents to retailers, Crone felt measures to obtain enrollment information are well worth the effort.

“What’s different about mobile than any other advertising medium is that the customers must opt-in to interact with other channels,” he said. “If the customer does opt-in, you know where they are, who they and the certain products and services they select. This changes the game for advertising. It’s opt-in self marketing.”

National Retail Federation’s 100th Annual Convention & Expo

Sunday, Jan. 9

1) Using Mobile Payments to Increase the Base of Contactable Customers (9 a.m.)

– The Golden Rule of mCommerce

– Astounding Figures on the Growth of Mobile Banking

– Why Mobile Could Be the Ultimate Cross-Channel Marketing Tool

– What Consumers Want Out of Retailers’ Mobile Apps

– 90% of Consumers Would Pay for Mobile Payment Options

2) Target and ConAgra Foods on Converting Social Media Activity into Sales (10 a.m.)

3) First Data’s Security Panel Offers Tips for Protecting Your Business (11:30 a.m.)

4) IBM on How to Capitalize on the Smarter Consumer (1:45 p.m.)

5) SAP Examines Precision Retailing and the Mobilized Consumer (3 p.m.)

Monday, Jan. 10

1) Deloitte VP Offers Suggestions for Harnessing Power of Technology in Retail (10:30 a.m.)

2) Macy’s, Tesco and Food Lion Executives Analyze Evolving Retail Landscape (11:45 a.m.)

3) Why Bankers Might Not Be Fond of the Tesco Credit Card (12:15 p.m.)

4) Greetings from the Floor at NRF! (1:45 p.m.)

5) Social Commerce: Is It Worth the Effort? (2:45 p.m.)

6) iPad Retail Apps: Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down (3:15 p.m.)

7) Steve Madden and Golfsmith’s Biggest mCommerce Mistakes of 2010 (4:30 p.m.)