Top retailers including Macy’s, Home Depot, Target and Apple are on the right track with mobile sites and apps that extend a consumer’s shopping experience, according to a new study from CrossView.

CrossView’s 2012 mobile survey looked at how 95 retailers are stacking up when it comes to mobile.  The study found that although most retailers are offering mobile tools to consumers, the top ten retailers are soaring above others.

“Clearly there is a significant gap between the top ten retailers and the rest of the marketplace,” Jason Goldberg, vice president of strategy and customer experience at CrossView, Portland, OR.

“The overwhelming majority of top ten retailers offer a mobile-optimized site, with access to ratings and reviews and visibility to in-store inventory,” he said.

Mobile shoppers
The CrossView study evaluated retailers on best practices and looked at both mobile sites and applications.

Of the top ten retailers with an optimized store, 100 percent of retailers offered consumers a guest check-out option. Additionally, all of the retailers offered ratings and reviews for users.

Seventy percent of the top ten retailers offered a pick-up in-store option, showing how many retailers are banking on mobile as a way to drive foot traffic.

Outside of the top ten retailers, some retailers are not making the cut in mobile though, per the study.

The study found that 69 percent of all retailers besides the top ten had a mobile-optimized store. Fifty-seven percent include ratings and reviews for consumers.

Additionally, 66 percent of these retailers include guest check-out on their sites. However, only 16 percent offer in-store pick-up for consumers.

Targert’s mobile site

Invest in mobile
The study cites findings from RSR Research that finds that between 2010 and 2011, retailers stepped up their mobile game, which is an indication that the technology will continue to be used in the future.

For example, mobile store locator features for retailers increased from 23 percent to 51 percent year-over-year. Retailers that offered a mobile site increased as well from 14 percent to 46 percent, per the RSR Research study.

Retailers have always debated over which is better – a mobile site or an app. Both play an important role in retailers’ overall efforts, and smart retailers are using them to connect with shoppers both in-store and online.

“Most retailers view an app as an extension of a mobile site. A mobile-optimized site is table stakes, while mobile apps offer enhanced functionality for brand loyalists,” Mr. Goldberg said.

“All retailers including the top ten have significant room for improvement,” he said.

“Most retailers still outsource their mobile sites to third parties, rather than leveraging their native ecommerce platforms.”

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York