Solutions News - SMS marketing overkill could put off shoppers

Industry analyst KPMG has warned retailers that SMS marketing campaigns will be seen by shoppers as a new kind of spam.

The warning comes as retailers such as DIY specialist Wickes are rolling out inbound SMS campaigns to increase footfall in its stores.

KPMG IT advisory practice partner Gerry Penfold believes that the idea of using SMS as an advertising medium is catching on among retailers, and they should put safeguards in place to make sure the unsolicited messages don't end up driving customers away.

'The technology being utilised by UK retailers is developing at a rapid rate.

That technology is now converging with the latest developments in the telecoms sector,' said Penfold.

He predicts that collecting mobile phone data will become as commonplace as fixed line numbers when customers register for store cards. This will increase the temptation for retailers to use the data to target marketing campaigns.

The result could be shoppers' SMS mail boxes being filled up by unsolicited offers and targeted discounts from well-meaning retailers.

'Quite simply, this could become a win-win situation for all concerned, unless businesses rush into this, get it wrong, and thereby lose the public's buy-in for good,' said Penfold.