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Mobile shopping tools will be used very differently between tablets and handsets with tablet users conducting more research and mobile consumers shopping on the go.

During the ?How to satisfy demanding consumers in this economy? webinar, mobile experts discussed holiday trends and how retailers can most effectively target savvy shoppers. Retailers need to think broader than just mobile rewards and coupons as information-gathering tools will be equally important this holiday season, specifically with location.

"The uniqueness of mobile is quickly becoming the ability to interact with location," said Patrick Moorhead, senior vice president and group management director for mobile platforms, Draftfcb, Chicago.

"There's a new theory to organize consumers' world around them wherever they are," he said.

More than coupons
Consumers are quickly adopting mobile as a part of their shopping behavior, but marketers need to think of deeper, more enticing ways to lure in shoppers.

For example, Joy Liuzzo, vice president of InsightExpress, Stamford, CT, said she expects to see missed sales for retailers who do not offer mobile to its consumers.

?Consumers are doing much more with their mobile devices this holiday season, from checking in at store locations to finding locations,? Ms. Liuzzo said.

According to a recent InsightExpress? study, most mobile shoppers are men, which opens up possibilities for marketers to push gifts that men are likely to buy, such as electronics.

However, Mr. Moorhead said retailers can expect more moms to become mobile shoppers.

?She?s never been busier and has less money to go around,? Mr. Moorhead said.

?There is a cultural drawback to when the holidays were a time for family to get together,? he said. ?Mobile becomes a network for family and friends.?

Craig Etheridge, vice president of mobile advertising sales at USA Today, Gannett Digital, Washington, said he expects an overall rise in mobile shopping this season.

Mr. Etheridge said that 82 percent of consumers own a mobile device, per Pew Internet research.

?We are going to see a complete full cycle of researching, browsing and purchasing on mobile,? Mr. Etheridge said.

In addition to an increase in holiday shoppers, retailers can expect to learn more about their mobile efforts this season via data and analytics.

Pick your battle
Knowing which mobile channels to focus on can be tricky for retailers, especially around the holidays.

Matthew Valleskey, director of marketing, mobile and registry services at Neustar, believes that SMS will continue to be the most universal method for retailers to reach consumers.

In order to make an effective SMS campaign, Mr. Valleskey says to focus on three goals ? creating buzz, driving sales and building a database.

?If you?re going to use a call to action, make it a total mobile experience,? Mr. Valleskey said.

Retailers also need to be sure there is a clear call to action with SMS to engage with consumers beyond the initial messages.

Additionally, check-ins will be a hot area this holiday season according to Mr. Moorhead.

?If you start to understand check-ins with vanity, functionality and a value proposition, you can start to then form a strategy around how to use it,? Mr. Moorhead said.

However, Ms. Liuzzo stresses the importance of making check-ins easy for consumers and says that often users have to check in three to four times to receive an award.

?If the consumer has the time to interact with you, make sure you acknowledge and appreciate them being there,? Ms. Liuzzo said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York