Applebee’s, American Eagle, AMC Theatres, Blockbuster, Bass Pro Shops and SpaFinder are driving revenue by offering Valentine’s Day digital gift cards that are redeemable via mobile.

The first and most important task for the near field communication ecosystem is to define the kind of infrastructure that will be used to enable businesses to provide NFC-based services to their customers, according to SJB Research.

British retail giants Marks & Spencer and House of Fraser are distributing location-based mobile coupons to opted-in O2 subscribers.

The mobile medium in general and smartphone applications in particular are key elements of office products retailer OfficeMax Inc.’s strategy for engaging its best customers via its MaxPerks loyalty program.

Supermarket giant Food Lion and Concentrics Restaurants are running mobile-social marketing programs to drive foot traffic to their bricks-and-mortar locations and encourage customer loyalty.

Procter & Gamble is distributing mobile coupons for many of its brands to influence consumers’ purchase decisions while they are shopping at supermarkets nationwide.

Whether they are spending the last moments of 2010 celebrating at a party, relaxing at home or freezing in New York’s Times Square, users of mobile social network GetGlue can earn limited-time stickers from CNN and MTV this New Year’s Eve.

Multichannel home furnishings retailer Crate and Barrel has partnered with shopkick Inc. as the latest ally to deliver location-based shopping rewards to consumers for visiting stores.

Department store chain J. C. Penney Co. Inc. is partnering with various mobile social networks to distribute a Christmas-themed promotional offer featuring badges and mobile coupons.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s incendiary statement that near field communication-enabled Android smartphones would be positioned to replace credit cards has sent shockwaves through the mobile commerce ecosystem.