Like “Alice in Wonderland” after mushrooms from the salad bar, mobile devices are getting bigger and smaller. Think car on one end and wristwatch on the other.
Retailers for a long time have thought only of smartphones when considering digital payment, loyalty, messaging or coupons. That view may be myopic as cars with digital screens and wearable devices such as watches and glasses become mainstream.
Tom Robinson, president and CEO of Robinson Oil, Santa Clara, Calif., recently was part of an automaker and tech firm’s test that made such payment possible. In the test, the car told the driver it needed gas, helped her pick a site based on price and proximity, paid for the gas and earned loyalty points.
“From the standpoint of devices turning on dispensers, that will eventually be the case, whether it’s the car, smartphone or watch,” Robinson says. “All you’re doing is figuring out the easiest way to activate the pump and pay.”
The speed bump, according to Robinson, is cost. Take navigation: “If you buy a car with navigation, it costs more money, but you already have that on your smartphone. Why should you pay more?”
That said, every automaker has an office in Silicon Valley, he says, and they’re all trying to figure out how technology will be part of tomorrow’s cars.
Maybe retailers should do the same.
Angel Abcede, who writes the Mobile 2 Go blog, has covered technology in the convenience-store industry for more than two decades. Share your thoughts with Angel at aabcede@winsightmedia.com.
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