Automatic Merchandiser

APR 2014

Automatic Merchandiser serves the business management, marketing, technology and product information needs of its readers including vending operators, coffee service operators, product brokers, and product and equipment distributors in print.

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How will smartphones impact vending in the next decade? By Allen Weintraub, Contributing Editor The industry needs to commission smartphone apps that are engaging and provide consumer purchasing data that can be used to increase sales and gain marketing payments. n Jan. 9, 2007, just over seven years ago, Steve Jobs intro- duced one of, if not the most disruptive pieces of technology ever invented, the iPhone. Currently 56 percent of all adults in the U.S. have smartphones. In 2013, one billion smartphones were sold throughout the world. People spend two hours each day on their smartphones. Smartphones are now the most valu- able real estate on the planet. Experts are convinced that over the next seven years, "consumer engagement" with the smartphone will be the dominant trend in retailing. An article titled "Buy it Now" in New York Times Magazine, reported that in the near future, there will be a signifcant increase in the use of digital wallets — making everything from your license to your credit card redundant. Not only will consumers adopt the digital wallet, but at the same time, the num- ber of mer- chants accepting mobile payments will increase. Also, retailers will develop apps that engage the cus- tomer, integrate with product manu- facturers and provide sellers with a 360 degree look at their customer. The central fact that emerged from the responses I received from technology companies for this arti- cle, as well as from attending tech- O The future is integrated smartphone marketing with consumer data. 44 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com April 2014 M O B I L E & V E N D I N G autm_44-51_0414SmartphoneVending_F.indd 44 3/21/14 12:08 PM

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