When will the computer in our hands work better?

Right now, we can be in a store, look at a package that says “Got questions? Text 12345″. And then get the answer. In a few seconds.

The thing is, as computing power grows while their size shrinks, the thing in our pockets — mobile phones — get much more powerful.

And unused.

It’s possible right now to offer coupons to people who walk into a retail outlet. These are opt in messages to phones. Our agency owns a machine that does this. We’ve used it for a client, and yet, clients don’t want to use it. Not just that, retail outlets don’t want to use it. Why wouldn’t a place like Whole Foods want to offer coupons to people who come in?

It’s the digital version of the loyalty card. You know the card: it’s the buy 10, get one free card that used the marketing technology of a hole punch to reward loyalty.

We’re passed that. And yet, it’s a hard sell to sell it. I can think of a few reasons why that might be the case, but they are bad reasons. So why don’t retail outlets offer this more?