Tesco plans mobile retail move following pilot test

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Tesco plans mobile retail move following pilot test.

The world's third biggest retailer undertook two separate trials last month that allowed consumers to order flowers directly from their mobile phone. These are understood to have been in preparation for an m-commerce launch.

The promotions were focused around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. They are both understood to have driven significant traffic.
 
The move involves Tesco introducing new transactional systems designed to be used from a mobile. A spokeswoman for the retailer confirmed that it was evaluating the success of the tests. "Tesco Mobile is always looking at ways to help our customers and this is one of a number of schemes we're trialling," she said.

The Tesco Mobile portal rolled out in May following the retailer's launch as an MVNO using the O2 network in September 2003.

The portal, which is managed by Infospace, currently features sections including Beauty, Books, Diets, Movies and Music. More than 250,000 of its 1.5m subscribers visit each month.

Neil Mason, senior retail consultant for Mintel, said that while buying physical goods from a handset remained small at the moment, it was set for growth.

"Tesco is always at the cutting edge of what's happening in new emerging areas," he said. "It's a very accomplished retailer with its finger on the pulse."

Two ad campaigns to support the mobile retail trials were booked across the O2 Active portal via 4th Screen Advertising.