News

July 27, 2012

O2 extends free marketing opportunity to independent retailers

O2 has opened up its Priority Moments service to independent retail and small business customers on the UK's high streets.

Priority Moments allows businesses to advertise promotions to 23 million O2 customers for free. According to O2, over a million of its customers have used the service already. Now, independent retailers will be able to market themselves using Priority Moments to reach millions of potential customers.

Small businesses now account for 66% of all retail and leisure units in the UK, according to the Local Data Company. However, things remain bleak on the high street, with the percentage of empty shops having risen from 3% in 2008 to 14.5% in 2012.

According to O2, over a quarter (27%) of small retailers say marketing is one of the business tasks that they most struggle with. It has opened up Priority Moments to help small firms attract consumers with special offers, using digital, mobile and location-based technologies.

Ben Dowd, business director at O2 said: "We know the level of competition is intense with independent retailers fighting to have their share of voice and trying to find modern and cost-effective ways to reach their customers. An ad in the local newspaper simply doesn't cut it in today's digital universe.

"Priority Moments will open up the world of mobile to some of the UK's smallest, most exciting high street businesses, while at the same time giving O2 customers on the high street an exclusive opportunity to discover a completely new side to their local area."

To use the service, businesses must have a physical location, they must be a B2C business and not be part of a chain or franchise.