Think shopper marketing ends with an end cap? You know better than that. Marketers – shopper marketers in particular—need to spend more time thinking about how and when their customers are browsing, not even buying, to truly adapt to today’s consumption habits. I recently went on a vacation where my friend purchased a new fishing net and hat – and yet he never actually went shopping per se. He ordered them from an app on his phone, sitting on a beach – straight from browse to impulse buy.

Today we’ve grown accustomed to a new “gone shoppin’” mentality – we order things on our mobile phones. We pass our phones around when browsing to see if our friends like something when we’re together. We get on our phones when someone else is shopping online to see what’s out there… just in case we need it (Gilt, Rue La La—I’m looking at you). We think of mobile shopping as physical shopping.

Every mobile moment is a chance to influence shoppers

I consider most products more than ever before because I have more information available to consider. I read reviews, compare prices, look at it over and over again, share it with friends, and search for discounts… on my phone. There are so many mobile touch points in that list where shopper marketers can influence me when I, like most consumers, am most open to advertising. Over half of consumers are open to ads on shopping sites – more than on any other type of site.

Discounts, free shipping, why your product is better than others—bring it on! Three in four mobile shoppers have redeemed a coupon on their phones – were any of them yours? It is an awesome and busy time for the industry.

Start yesterday

If you haven’t built a mobile strategy…what are you waiting for? Babies to be born with mobile phones in their hands? Oh wait, they practically are! My two year old niece cannot tell me which way is left or right, but she can find the Peppa Pig app on her mom’s iPad and dominate that game! Pin the tail on the British pig? I have no clue what it is.

So figure out where your mobile customers and prospects are and go reach them because 65% of mobile shoppers added a product to their shopping list as a result of seeing a mobile ad. If you don’t, your competition will: According to eMarketer, mobile ad spending in 2013 grew 120% from 2012.  Best Buy embraced shopper behavior during the holidays to reach shoppers via mobile while they were showrooming in-store.  Get in the mobile game. Your customers are there, even when they are in the physical aisle.

Dear Shopper Marketers: Come and get me, I’m on my phone.