This book attempts to address, explore, and conceptualize the
epistemological paradigms of SMS as an alternative marketing channel or
in combination with other existing traditional channels. It promotes a
multichannel strategy in the light of synthesized marketing
distribution, consumer behavior, and information and communication
technology (ICT)-related behavioral theory to develop, establish, and
launch a guiding theory and practice for this emerging area. Usage of
mobile phones and hand-held wireless devices is growing and diffusing so
quickly that 21st century marketing managers find a great
potential for this wireless channel to be the most effective media for
maintaining a consumer relationship that provides the highest quality
service. The emergence of SMS-based direct marketing as a distinct
channel or embedded with other channels is characterized by several
issues, challenges, barriers, and limitations. This book examines and
postulates the following interrelated
issues related to wireless marketing (particularly the SMS-based
marketing channel): (i) Consumer behavior for mobile phone SMS -
perception, exposure, and attention; (ii) Consumer attitudes toward
SMS-based marketing channels; (iii) The scope of SMS to meet consumer
service output demands from an online channel; (iv) Consumer selection
criteria for mobile phone SMS channel structure; (v) Mobile channel
structure as an efficient and effective consumer interaction mode; and
(vi) Consumer multichannel behavior. It is important to use the
SMS-based mobile channel as a radical tool of interactive marketing and
seamless service marketing, as there is the opportunity to maximize,
until now, unutilized benefits of this efficient and popular direct
marketing channel.
