This book attempts to address, explore, and conceptualize the epistemological paradigms of SMS as an alternative marketing channel or in combination with other existing traditional channels. It promotes a multichannel strategy in the light of synthesized marketing distribution, consumer behavior, and information and communication technology (ICT)-related behavioral theory to develop, establish, and launch a guiding theory and practice for this emerging area. Usage of mobile phones and hand-held wireless devices is growing and diffusing so quickly that 21st century marketing managers find a great potential for this wireless channel to be the most effective media for maintaining a consumer relationship that provides the highest quality service. The emergence of SMS-based direct marketing as a distinct channel or embedded with other channels is characterized by several issues, challenges, barriers, and limitations. This book examines and postulates the following interrelated issues related to wireless marketing (particularly the SMS-based marketing channel): (i) Consumer behavior for mobile phone SMS - perception, exposure, and attention; (ii) Consumer attitudes toward SMS-based marketing channels; (iii) The scope of SMS to meet consumer service output demands from an online channel; (iv) Consumer selection criteria for mobile phone SMS channel structure; (v) Mobile channel structure as an efficient and effective consumer interaction mode; and (vi) Consumer multichannel behavior. It is important to use the SMS-based mobile channel as a radical tool of interactive marketing and seamless service marketing, as there is the opportunity to maximize, until now, unutilized benefits of this efficient and popular direct marketing channel.
