56 per cent of retailers intend to put more resources behind the development and implementation of their mobile marketing and mCommerce strategies in 2013 than they did in 2012, according to research by Artisan.

Based on an a survey of 200 retail executives, the research found that 71 per cent believe that native apps will become the single most important touch point for engaging with consumers in the next one to three years (38 per cent strongly agree, and 33 per cent agree).

Meanwhile, 72 per cent said they agreed or strongly agreed that investing in a native app was one of their top three priorities for 2013, and 77 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that their company needs an app to stay competitive.

“Mobile apps represent a significant engagement and revenue opportunity, and this survey shows that retailers are intending to invest even more resources in making them an effective part of the overall marketing and sales strategy in 2013,” said Bob Moul, CEO, Artisan. 

Perhaps most interestingly, however, was the preference shown for apps, over mobile-optimised sites, with 33 per cent strongly agreeing that apps were more important than mobile sites, and 30 per cent agreeing, while only 11 per cent disagreed, and a mere two per cent strongly disagreed.