Subway are looking to mobile enabled commerce

Link: PC World – ‘Mobile Retailer’ Role Debated

Panelist Marina O’Rourke, director of retail technology at the Subway restaurant chain, painted a bright picture for the use of mobile phone technology in the retail industry. As the cell phone becomes more ubiquitous, there are many opportunities for retailers to use mobile phone technology to market products to customers, she said.

O’Rourke said she envisioned a customer using a cell phone’s GPS to locate a Subway shop, send an order via text message to the store and then pick it up. Or the Subway shop could reply to the text-message order with a coupon offer for free chips and a Coke.

All of a sudden, everywhere I look, there is a Subway fast food outlet. They seem to be doing a roaring trade here in London.

I’m pleased that they’re looking at the technology and the medium.