Consumers interested in mobile alerts of nearby deals

A NEW study has revealed that US consumers are interested in receiving opt-in mobile marketing messages that are relevant to their immediate location, according to a new survey commissioned by San Francisco-based 1020 Placecast.

The survey conducted by Harris interactive, measured cell phone owner preference levels and receptivity for opt-in mobile marketing messages from brick-and-mortar businesses. The results found that 42 per cent of 18 to 34 year old cell phone owners and 33 per cent of 35 to 44 year olds are at least somewhat interested in receiving alerts about sales on their cell phones from their favourite establishments.

Men are more interested than women; 51 per cent of men ages 18 to 34, and 34 per cent of women of the same age range who own mobile phones, are at least somewhat interested in receiving opt-in shopping alerts on their phones.

Food, entertainment and consumer products top the list of categories. Only 1 per cent of mobile users currently receive alerts about sales at their favourite establishments on their phones, yet 26 per cent would be at least somewhat interested in receiving such alerts, assuming they were permission-based. Of those interested in receiving alerts, 53 per cent would be at least somewhat interested in being notified about restaurant specials around them.

About 2-in-5 of these adults would like to receive alerts about sales for:

Movie/event tickets (43 per cent)

Weather information (39 per cent)

Clearance or liquidation sales (37 per cent)

About another 3-in-10 of these adults would want to be alerted about:

Pizza (31 per cent)

Clothes (30 per cent)

Fast food (27 per cent)

About one quarter would want to be notified about:

Electronics (25 per cent)

Music (24 per cent)

Happy hour specials or bar and night club offers (21per cent).

The survey found that marketers have a substantial opportunity to influence impulse purchasers. In fact, about 9-in-10 U.S. adults have made an impulse purchase when they were out shopping in a store based on a sale or special going on around where they were.

Nearly a quarter of adults owning cell phones (22 per cent) make this type of impulse purchase at least once per week or more often. Among women with mobile phones ages 18 to 44, 27 per cent report making at least one impulse purchase a week; among men 18 - 34, this number rises to 31 per cent.

According to Kathryn Koegel of Primary Impact Research, "Many American consumers have their mobile devices with them all day long, including when they are shopping. Reaching a receptive audience that has indicated they are interested presents a big opportunity to influence impulse purchases, particularly with younger audiences."

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