Wal-Mart Shoppers Save With Cellphones
#WMT Service Developed By Dallas-based AT&T
By KEVIN COKELY
Updated 8:50 AM CDT, Tue, Apr 14, 2009
Wal-Mart wants you to use your cell phone inside it's stores.
A free mobile service called #WMT allows Wal-Mart shoppers to learn about deep discounts, and read product reviews right there in the store.
"Everything we do at Wal-Mart is to help our customers save money," said Dennis Arnold with Wal-Mart.
Shoppers who sign up for #WMT get up to three text message alerts a week about Wal-Mart's "Rollback Prices" and other store specials.
"Getting the email on what's on sale and stuff, I think it's great," said Melissa Jandal of Dallas.
Jandal, the mother of five children added its "time saving" because the alerts will let her know when to stop by the store.
Dallas-based AT&T developed the free mobile service, the first of its kind in the retail industry.
Wal-Mart shoppers with a working cell phone from any one of the major U-S wireless service providers can sign up for #WMT.
"Wal-Mart wanted to make this available to all of it's customers," said Sarah Andreani, AT&T spokesperson.
#WMT started last year as a pilot program called "Simple Meal Ideas".
Developed in partnership with Kraft, #MEALS offered Wal-Mart shoppers recipes and other information.
"It tells you what exactly is needed in that recipe, the items, where to purchase it, where to find it in the stores" said Arnold.
The #MEALS service is currently off-line, while AT&T and Wal-Mart work on future enhancements to the program.
With #WMT, Wal-Mart shoppers can get information and product review on virtually anything in the store, just by entered the item's Universal Product Code or UPC.
A mother of two, three year old boys, Taylor Schmidt of Richardson likes the product review feature.
"If you were gonna buy a blu-ray player or tv, or a big ticket item, i think it would be a great idea," said Schmidt.
A recent survey conducted by Wal-Mart found 44 percent of #WMT users purchased something based on the price alerts.
"I think it would get me to come back to the store more also if they sent me a text that something, you know, was on sale," said Schmidt. "Especially something that I use more."
You can sign up for the free service by dialing #WMT on your mobile phone, or by registering here.
First Published: Apr 13, 2009 5:20 PM CDT
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