CONTACT:
Sears Public Relations And Communications
(847) 286-8371
Sears Recognized by Acquity Group for Overall Best-In-Class Mobile Commerce
Sears' Mobile Commerce Offerings Provide First-Rate Customer
Convenience
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears announced today
that Acquity Group, a leading services firm that focuses on digital
solutions, named Sears as an 'Overall Best-in-Class' company and
'Best-in-Industry' for the Department Stores/Mass Merchandise category in
its Internet Retailer Mobile Commerce Audit.
Sears' designation is a result of the Acquity Group's Mobile Commerce
Audit of the companies named on the 2008 Internet Retailer 500 list. The
purpose of the audit was to identify companies and industries that were
leading the charge with mobile initiatives and concentrating on mobile
development that allowed their Web site to be accessible via a mobile
device.
"The Overall Best-in-Class companies are those who recognized a trend
with consumers turning to their mobile devices for more and more
information. Sears showed overall best adaptation of the mobile commerce
initiatives that are most effective in communicating with a brand's
audience," said Mark Rein, Director of Acquity Group's Retail Practice.
"Sears should be commended for its leadership in developing an m-commerce
strategy in a channel that, for the most part, is still underutilized
today. Anyone who is not focusing on establishing an interactive presence
on the Internet, as well as creating mobile initiatives that connect the
brand to consumers in transit, are going to be left behind."
Launched in November 2008, Sears2go is the first on-the-go technology
offered by a US retailer and pairs mobile commerce with Sears' best in
class in-store pickup. Sears2go lets customers select products from a wide
variety of categories, including apparel, electronics and computers,
fitness and sports, jewelry, tools, toys and games with home delivery or in
store pickup.
"Sears' commitment to innovation and providing its customers with new
technologies led the company to develop an answer to on-the-go mobile
technology with Sears2go. We are pleased to be recognized for our efforts
by Acquity Group," said Don Hamblen, Sears' chief marketing officer.
"Sears2Go allows our customers to find and buy select Sears.com merchandise
from their mobile phone - making it just as easy as shopping online.
Sears2Go is geared for mobile devices with an emphasis on speed, usability
and security that our customers can use at the times that most fit into
their schedules."
Sears2go is just one of the many ways Sears is making it more
convenient for its customers to shop. Through its ShopYourWay multichannel
shopping, customers can shop in-store, online, via catalogs, call centers
as well as mobile. Mobile will continue to be a core component of the
company's integrated marketing moving forward.
Sears has heard from many satisfied customers who are pleased with the
convenience of an integrated, multi-channel shopping experience. One
customer discovered this first-hand when a power outage left him at home in
the dark. Yet even though he was without electricity, with Sears2go, he was
able to purchase a generator from his mobile phone and restore power.
The Acquity Group Mobile Audit Methodology
As a leading provider of digital marketing, interactive design, content
management solutions and IT planning services, Acquity Group has worked
with many well-known retailers to extend and redefine their eCommerce
capabilities for increased profits and efficiency. Since Acquity Group is
currently developing mobile commerce initiatives for various retailers as
well, the company wanted to obtain a better understanding of the current
level of mobile deployment by industry.
Acquity Group looked at several metrics to determine the Top 14
companies, including their utilization of a .mobi top-level domain, mobile
browser/device detection techniques, WAP-optimization, downloadable apps
for various smartphones, and a mobile services landing page on the desktop
site, among other factors. Acquity Group did not test for the native
BlackBerry browser due to its expected poor performance, and instead tested
against iPhone optimization and compatibility with microbrowsers.
Microbrowsers would include Internet Explorer mobile & Opera for the
smartphone.
"Sears performed very well across the board as well as in a very
competitive industry, which was the Department Store/Mass Merchandise
category," said Adam Boysen, Acquity Group Project Manager who spearheaded
the Mobile Audit. "One key reason for Sears' 'best-in-class' recognition
has to do with the device detection used to redirect users who are not
familiar with the common 'm.' usage. The mobile site also rendered well in
microbrowser & iPhone emulators and provided purchasing functionality not
found on many other mobile sites. In addition, the breadth of their product
catalog and inclusion of higher priced items on their mobile site really
distinguished Sears as a leader in m-commerce."
The Department Store and Books, Music & Video categories were
identified as frontrunners in mobile solutions, according to findings in
the Mobile Audit. In many instances, a correlation could be made between
the cost of the products sold and the adoption of mobile eCommerce as well,
noted Boysen.
The other companies named to the Overall Best-in-Class list include:
the MLB, NFL, NHL, Target, Dell, HP, Amazon, Playboy, Nike, Napster,
1-800-Flowers, Overstock and Disney.
To find out more about Sears2Go, text SHOP to 73277 or visit
Sears2go.com on your mobile phone. Standard text messaging rates may apply.
About Sears Holdings Corporation
Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's fifth largest broadline
retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in
the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance
retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics
and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include
Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including
such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well
as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has Martha Stewart Everyday
products, which are offered exclusively in the U.S. by Kmart. We are the
nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million
service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through
its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation.
For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at
http://www.searsholdings.com.
About Acquity Group
Acquity Group delivers award-winning, tailored solutions to elevate
brands and businesses by maximizing the digital channel. Acquity Group's
innovative strategy, marketing & design, IT planning, and commerce &
content services are the cornerstone of effective digital communication for
today's leading brands. Acquity Group is headquartered in Chicago and has
offices in Irvine, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Overland Park, KS; Scottsdale, AZ;
and Dallas, TX. To define a unique perspective for your business, contact
Acquity Group at http://www.acquitygroup.com.
About the Acquity Group Mobile Commerce Audit 2009
The purpose of the Acquity Group Internet Retailer 500 Mobile Audit is
to identify companies and industries on the leading edge of mobile-commerce
initiatives. Leaders were honored with the Acquity Group Mobile Commerce
Overall Best-in-Class designation. Through an audit of all 500 companies,
which looked at 10 different mobile-commerce criteria, Acquity Group
identified the Overall Best-in-Class. These Best-in-Class businesses are on
the cusp of the mobile transformation that promises to make shopping easier
for consumers, at the convenience of their mobile device. All Best-in-Class
companies are leaders in recognizing this trend and initiating mobile
development accordingly. For more information on the Acquity Group Mobile
Commerce Audit 2009, contact Adam Boysen at 312.427.0034.
SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation
Web site:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/dap_10153_12605_DAP_migration+to+e?adCell=W3
http://www.acquitygroup.com
CONTACT: Regina Pelz-Westergaard of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR,
+1-847-286-8984, regina.pelz-westergaard@eurorscg.com, for Sears
Holdings Corporation; or Tom Aiello of Sears Holdings,
+1-847-286-7387, taiell1@searshc.com
