Nov 14, 2008

Retailers gearing up to dial for dollarsBy Jon ChavezToledoBlade.com

In need of a shopping companion to help you navigate the upcoming blitz of holiday bargains and specials?

This season, the best partner already may be in your pocket or purse.

Cellular phones, with an evolving link between retail and technology, have the potential this Christmas season to ring true in buying merchandise at decent prices.

“It’s really developed into a wonderful marketing tool that not only gives you text messages about products, but since mobile Web browsing is now available, you can find out when it goes on sale and where it’s available,” said Scott Krugman, a spokesman with the National Retail Federation.

Wal-Mart took the biggest step into mobile retailing a week ago by launching a holiday text message service that sends customers who sign up for it special alerts over their cell phones about impending price markdowns and imminent hot deals.

Amazon.com has just launched a similar text message service that alerts cell phone users to hot deals of the day.

But other cell phone aids debuting include Sears’ Sears2go.com Web site that lets shoppers buy items via any Web-enabled cell phone. During the purchase, the buyer can choose in-store pickup or home delivery.

In September, T-Mobile G1 offered a ShopSavvy software that uses its phone cameras to read bar codes of thousands of products and connects to the Web to find comparable prices available at stores or on retail Web sites.

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