If this is indeed a momentous year for mobile retail and transactions of all kinds, then what will happen to the mix of payment options and players currently jockeying for position? rant about the disconnect between the mobile and retail readiness of luxury brands (lacking to say the least!) and its announcement that it has helped drive more than $110 million in-store revenue for partner retailers and brands in 2011, and is poised to do even more in 2012. So are luxury brands falling down when it comes to mobile and retail readiness? Who, what, where, when & how? MORE >>

In developed markets, mobile banking initially started as a service aimed at retail customers. Before the advance of mobile devices and the mobile shopping behavior they power, retailers and shops could own the customer relationship, leaving the brands to observe sales of their product, but never really connect with their customers at a deeper level. More recently, retail, utilities and consumer products have begun to see the opportunity to use mobile commerce to create a new customer engagement beyond simple marketing and —ultimately — connect directly with their customers. MORE >>

From social network check-ins on Foursquare to passive retail checking-in on Shopkick, any kind of “extra” deal might be enough to bring foot traffic your way. I’m wondering when we’ll hit the tipping point with GPS-enabled, mobile-web-ready, QR-code-reading devices in the pockets and purses of this demo? Change and innovation are outpacing our abilities to keep up with the times. Technologies are being built and advanced at a rate far beyond from what we can consume. Meanwhile, we’re all just trying to keep up. It’s no wonder that any kind of strategy can fall short. MORE >>

We presented on why ongoing engagement is worth more than buzz and showcased our work in the retail industry with T.M.Lewin and Jimmy Choo. The steady rise of smart-phones (with their in-built GPS systems) will make this data more useful to users and easier for people to add to. Image by Stuck in Customs via Flickr. Today’s Social Media Marketing 2010 conference (search for #smmuk10 on Twitter) was a great mix of theory and case studies, presentations and debates, clients and the odd social media agency. Geolocation is an interesting development. And so they should. MORE >>

Augmented reality will enhance games and retail. We already have built in features such as GPS and gyroscopes (so your phone knows when you pass out at the company Christmas party). Tweet Written by J-P De Clerck , who is an experienced content, conversion and social media consultant. Like Mindjumpers, he is associated with Social Marketing Forum. You can connect with him on Twitter @Conversionation. Mobile marketing is becoming increasingly important. And, according to the TNS Digital Life report, mobile users spend 3.1 hours/week on social networks and 2.2 hours on email. MORE >>