Juniper Research has predicted that the mobile retail market will be worth US$12 billion by 2015 in its “Mobile Marketing & Retail Strategies” report covering 2009-2014.

The report states that the mobile retail market is currently worth US$4.1 billion, but it predicts that it will grow by an amazing 24% a year on average over the next 5 years.

Juniper believes that there is a 4-stage cycle that various markets go through in the mobile retail as shown in the diagram below. The four stages are:

• First – the majority of products sold over mobile are related to mobile content, e.g. ringtones, games, etc.
• Second – external brands from outside the mobile eco-system try out the media in ad-hoc campaigns.
• Third – Brands come back for repeat advertising campaigns, and enable direct purchase of products.
• Fourth – brands make mobile an integral part of their multi- platform strategy, both for marketing and for direct sales.

In terms of what makes up this mobile retail forecast, there are three components that Juniper has included: mobile coupons, mobile advertising, and mobile smart posters.

“At the present time the market is dominated by revenues from mobile coupons, which accounted for two-thirds of the market in 2009,” says report author and senior analyst, Howard Wilcox. “However, as digital ad spend is increasingly transferred into the mobile space, then mobile advertising will gradually reel in and overhaul coupons, and will comprise the bulk of revenues by 2013.”

Paul Berney, MMA Managing Director for EMEA says, “There is no doubt that mobile will become a fundamental part of retailers’ communication strategies; providing a key channel for not only the promotion of products and offers to consumers to drive footfall and sales but also to establish a relationship of engagement and interaction with customers both in store and beyond.”

To buy a copy of the report, please click here.