Mobile Retail Apps Skyrocket on iPhone

No retailer has yet become a master at M-Commerce, but many are getting involved by launching iPhone applications, which have taken off like a skyrocket due to the phenomenal popularity of Apple's brilliant iPhone. While there is no killer strategy for the many retail iPhone apps launched by 1800FLOWERS.COM, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others, several elements have emerged as being critical: Product information to help make purchasing decisions, Web site traffic building, coupon targeting through loyalty programs, marketing extensions through mobile call-to-action campaigns, and brand awareness to better engage customers.

So, are Apple iPhone apps hip or hype? Check out these 10 retailers who are not waiting to find out they missed the m-commerce train when it pulled out of the station:

1800flowers: This is a free iPhone app you can download today to shop anywhere, anytime. Find flowers and gifts for Mother's Day or special occasions. Features include a special selection of best selling items from flowers to gourmet foods, streamlined browsing and checkout, integration with existing contacts, and exclusive offers for mobile users.

Amazon for iPhone: iMason is a Web app for iPhone or iPod touch. You can use it to buy books, electronics, and more from the Amazon site. Also, you can search products, view product details and add to your shopping cart.

B& N Bookstore: The Barnes & Noble Bookstore app lets shoppers search and shop for books, DVDs and CDs from an iPhone or iPod touch. The best part of the B&N app is its free coffee offer. Just flash the B&N iPhone app to any Cafe barista and in one of its stores and you can get a free tall cup of Starbucks coffee

CVS CardStar: CardStar stores all your rewards, club and loyalty membership card barcodes on your iPhone or iPod touch, where they can be scanned directly from your screen at most merchants. When the cashier asks for your card, just take out your iPhone and fire up the CardStar app to pick the store name from the list and and pull up the barcode.

eBay Mobile: eBay Mobile is the official eBay app for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. eBay members can search, bid, and check their activity. Members see a dashboard showing the items they are watching, selling, winning, sold, won, unsold, outbid, and scheduled all on one page.

iStarbucks: View the Starbucks menu including coffee products and dessert products, plus mapping links to the nearest Starbucks, and free wallpaper for your iPhone.
Nike Lab iPhone: You can check out Nike's top Olympic athletes, product innovations, videos, wallpapers and Nike store finder in 13 languages on your iPhone or iPod touch.

Strand Books2Go: You don't have to visit this NYC bookstore icon to purchase any of its 2.5 million new, used and rare books. Users of this iPhone Web app can search and purchase using credit cards from thousands of new titles at 50 percent or more off the cover price, as well as a wide variety of books ordered directly from the publisher and obtainable at 25 percent or more off the cover price.

Whole Foods Recipes: Whole Foods Market Recipes is an iPhone app from the Whole Foods Market that gives you access to recipes on cooking with natural and organic foods. The app lets you pick from categories such as Budget, Cooking with Kids, Quick & Easy, and filter special diets.