2010 has really become the year of the Mobile Customer Interface, whether from a corporate marketing, consumer research, referral or discount standpoint – or all of the above. And with the proliferation of smartphones and apps, as well as the increased ability to actually make purchases via smartphone, the sky is really the limit for retailers (especially wireless retailers) who understand how to connect with their customers’ phones.

“Considering that most people would rather lose their wallet than misplace their cellphone, it’s fitting that the mobile world is quickly becoming a hub for business,” wrote Mashable.com’s Stephanie Marcus (July 22). “For many of us, our cellphone never leaves our side. (Therefore), marketers and companies must feel assured they can still reach (elusive consumers who are not on their computers, watching TV, going to movies, etc.) on their cellphones.”

Marcus offers a few reasons why M-Commerce is set to blow up this year:

• Smartphone sales went up 49 percent in the first quarter of 2010.
• It has never been easier to shop, anywhere, anytime from the palm of your hand.
• An enormous amount of ongoing market research has concluded: M-Commerce is a profitable and rapidly growing market.
• By 2015, shoppers will spend an estimated $119 billion on goods and services bought via their mobile phones (according to ABI Research, Feb. 2010).
• In the U.S., mobile shopping went from $396 million in 2008 to $1.2 billion in 2009, and mobile campaign spending went up by 25-30 percent over the past year, with companies spending $313 million on such campaigns (according to the same ABI study).
• Senior Analyst Mark Beccue predicts U.S. mobile shopping to reach about $2.2 billion in 2010.

Marcus also identifies five M-Commerce trends to watch this year:

1. Bargain Hunting: “Bargain hunting has become extremely popular with apps like RedLaser that allow users to scan product bar codes and discover its various prices at different retailers. Shoppers are melding the two worlds of online/mobile shopping with actual physical shopping to make sure they get the best prices.”

2. Mobile Ticketing: “Websites like Fandango and MovieTickets.com have made snagging seats to the hottest movie of the moment that much easier (or more competitive) with their movie ticketing apps. This past weekend, Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was sold out all weekend, but mobile ticketing likely helped moviegoers nab those last few seats. Industry sources say mobile ticketing can account for up to 10 percent of ticket sales for blockbusters like Avatar on opening weekend.”

3. Banking: “According to comScore, 13.2 million people accessed their bank accounts from their phones during the month of April alone, which is a 70 percent increase from a year ago. And similarly, the number of people using mobile banking apps more than doubled, to about 5 million in the last year.”

4. Tangible Goods: “According to a survey by the Mobile Marketing Association, 17 percent of mobile commerce was used for purchasing applications and ringtones, while another 6 percent of people used their phones for discounts and coupons, and another 6 percent used their phones to buy tangible goods. eBay has been the standout leader with its (iPhone, BlackBerry and Android) app, seeing more than $600 million in goods sold via the app in 2009, a 200 percent jump from 2008.”

5. Marketing: “A reported 74 percent of online retailers either have in place or are developing M-Commerce strategies, while 20 percent have already implemented their complete plans, according to a study by the National Retail Federation.” The success of text message marketing has led to retailers to invest resources into finding creative ways to reach consumers via their mobile phones.

“eBay’s recent launch of their Fashion App is a great example. The app allows users to browse for clothes, have access to exclusive sales and ‘try on’ an outfit by snapping a picture with the iPhone’s camera. It then lets you share your outfits with friends on Facebook and Twitter. All of the features really add to the shopping experience, but most importantly, consumers are able to buy and bid on what they like.”

- newsletter@iQmetrix.com

* To read more about The Rise of M-Commerce, check out the following articles from iQmetrix News & Views:

Foursquare and its Potential for Wireless Retailers

Cellphone Acts as Loyalty Card

Growing Market for Location-based Ads and Mobile Coupons

New Technology: Retailers Connecting with Customers' Smartphones

New Options for Offering Mobile Coupons 

Pre-Purchase Research Goes Mobile: Consumers Shift from PC to Smartphone