News 2001
Virgin Mobile Unveils Shopping Assistant Powered by digitalRUM
20/02/2001
Virgin Mobile launches world's first mobile shopping WAP service to let consumers search, compare and buy goods over the air
Virgin Mobile has today unveiled its Virgin Mobile Shopping Assistant, the world's first mobile WAP service that allows customers to search for a product, compare its features, retailers' prices, and transact securely. Powered by leading UK technology developer digitalRUM, the service is available immediately to Virgin Mobile customers with WAP-enabled phones.
Accessible via VirginXtras, the mobile shopping service goes live with several retail categories, including Music, DVDs, Videos, Computer/Console games, TV, Video Players, HiFi equipment, Computer accessories, PDAs and Books. New categories will come on-stream as the service develops.
Virgin Mobile customers can pre-register and personalise the service, thereby making the process of buying goods from a WAP phone totally painless and secure. Users can register at www.virgin.com/mobile (under VirginXtras) or directly via www.digitalrum.com or over the phone on 0906 6501001*.
digitalRUM's unique wireless shopping assistant platform differs significantly from other internet-based shopping services that rely on a translation of existing html-based services. The digitalRUM technology has been designed specifically for wireless delivery. Through digitalRUM's unique relationships with retail partners - both on and offline shops - the mobile shopping assistant provides pricing information and allows shoppers to transact effortlessly at the touch of a button.
digitalRUM hosts all relevant retail information to ensure that users of the Shopping Assistant benefit from up-to-date prices and an extremely rapid response time. digitalRUM's retail partners include Blackwell's bookshops, Student Book World, Co-op, buy.com and dabs.com and 101 CD among others.
Tom Alexander, managing director of Virgin Mobile, said: "The Virgin Mobile Shopping Assistant is a world first and is arguably the killer WAP application. Its introduction on Virgin Mobile will prove to be a turning point in consumer acceptance and take up of WAP services. The fact that someone can now walk into a High Street store, pick up a product in one hand while checking to see if it is available more cheaply elsewhere, or even if there is a better version, truly empowers the consumer."
Johan Van de Steen, co-founder and CEO of digitalRUM, said: "Our aim is to drive the mobile retail sector by creating practical technologies that allow people to shop whenever and from wherever they choose. We believe that key to this vision of pervasive shopping is ensuring that our partners, like Virgin Mobile, who put our technology into the hands of their customers, are able to deliver an unparalleled shopping experience."
For more information visit www.virgin.com/mobile or www.digitalrum.com
Press enquiries:
Steven Day Virgin Mobile Tel: +44 (0)7931 777777
Email: steven.day@virginmobile.com
Alison Bonny Virgin Mobile Tel: +44 (0)20 7484 4323
Email: alison.bonny@virginmobile.com
Pete Goold / Kate Jenkins Gnash Communications Tel: +44 (0)207 313 4770
Email: pete@gnash.co.uk; nancy@gnash.co.uk ; kate@gnash.co.uk
Note to editors:
*digitalRUM's call centre. Calls are charged at premium rates; 60p a minute plus the cost of any mobile charges. Open 8am-8pm Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm Saturday.
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile is now established as the most successful virtual network operator in the world. Since its launch in November 1999 it has attracted over 750,000 customers making it one of the fastest growing mobile phone companies ever.
Virgin Mobile is a 50:50 joint venture company between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Deutsche Telekom's One 2 One, and is the UK's first mobile virtual operator.
It has scored a number of firsts, including being the first operator to scrap peak rate calls, introduce a daily discounting tariff and was the first company in the world to introduce an integrated MP3 mobile phone.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virgin.com/mobile; or on the High Street at over 3,500 outlets including Virgin Megastores, Our Price, V Shops and in supermarkets such as Asda and Sainsbury.
Virgin has already taken the brand overseas with Virgin Mobile (Australia), a partnership with Cable and Wireless Optus, which opened for business at the end of October 2000. A similar joint-venture between Virgin and Singapore Telecom will see the launch of Virgin Mobile (Asia) in summer 2001. The global Virgin Mobile brand is also expected to launch in the USA and Europe within two years.
About digitalRUM:
digitalRUM is a UK-based technology company that develops, markets and operates scalable commerce solutions, on the Digital Rum commerce platform. Its applications help users search, compare and buy products and services, anytime, anywhere. The Wireless Shopping Assistant is an intelligent system capable of searching across merchants to deliver accurate and timely comparative product information to shoppers via their mobile phone or PC. digitalRUM is a privately-owned company, with headquarters in London, Paris, Munich and Madrid.
