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Online electronics retailer Crutchfield enters mobile commerce

Many of the same unique features available when browsing Crutchfield.com from a computer will be available when shopping from a mobile handset. Users can make purchases on their mobile device through a secure checkout process that has been optimized for mobile phones.

“We’ve been monitoring traffic to crutchfield.com on mobile devices for more than a year now. When we started to dig into the data more thoroughly this Spring, we were surprised by the amount of business customers were transacting on a site that was not optimized for mobile devices,” said Todd Cabell, senior manager of Web strategy at Crutchfield.

“We saw a clear opportunity to improve the customer experience and to boost this small but growing segment of the business,” he said.

There’s no special URL to remember. Users logging on to Crutchfield.com from a mobile phone will automatically see a version of the Web site that is optimized for their specific device.

The mobile site includes Crutchfield’s complete product selection, and features the same in-depth item descriptions, detailed product features lists, accessory suggestions, and customer ratings, displayed in a format that’s much easier to navigate while on the go, and just as secure.

“Crutchfield’s mobile site puts their specialization in the consumer’s hands,” said Jason Taylor, head of mobile products at Usablenet, New York. “They can custom outfit their car for electronics and buy them while actually looking inside their car, all through the mobile site.”

Users who would like to consult with one of Crutchfield’s expert advisors can place a call with one touch. The people who staff Crutchfield’s call centers are noted for their high integrity, product knowledge and technical expertise, the company claims.

The mobile version of Crutchfield.com is powered by Usablenet.

Usablenet’s mobile Web platform provides Crutchfield with a new channel to extend marketing, commerce and client service efforts to its customers. It offers a fully managed service called Usablenet Mobile that translates all existing Web site functionality to a full-featured mobile interface.

The service requires no IT or Web resources on the client side, works on all Web-enabled mobile devices worldwide and can be implemented in six weeks.

Usablenet customers include American Airlines, Amtrak, Limited Brands, Marriott Hotels, Nissan and Pfizer.

“Usablenet was able to work with us to meet our goal of having the mobile version of Crutchfield.com ready in time for the holiday shopping season, without overburdening our IT and design resources,” Mr. Cabell said.