When reviewing the mobile initiatives of Foot Locker, it is safe to say the specialty retailer has quite an aggressive mobile strategy.

Foot Locker offers consumers mobile coupons, text alert services, has a mobile VIP club, a mobile Web site and has done text to win promotions.

"Economic realities have forced retailers to carefully evaluate where they invest and how they interact with consumers," said Curtis Rapp, vice president of sales and marketing at Air2Web, Atlanta. "Because of mobile's effectiveness we are seeing increased interest from our retail partners.

"With the mobile channel, retailers are able to provide targeted communications to interested consumers leading to measurable return on investment," he said.

Foot Locker is a specialty athletic retailer that operates approximately 3,800 stores in 21 countries in North America, Europe and Australia.

Air2Web does not power Foot Locker's mobile VIP club and text alerts. The company was interviewed based on its expertise in the mobile space.

To join the mobile VIP Club, consumers are encouraged to text JOIN to short code 562537. Or, they can go to the VIP Club's mobile site at http://vip.footlocker.com from any Web-enabled phone.

Consumers that text in get a coupon texted to their phone for $10 off their next purchase of $50 or more. This coupon can only be redeemed in-store.

"Because of the uptake in newer devices like the iPhone, a lot of retailers are leveraging the mobile platform via mobile optimized site, apps, coupons and SMS," said Tom Nawara, managing director of digital strategy and design, Aqcuity Group, Chicago.

"This day in age with the economy, retailers are looking to increase revenue and reduce costs and mobile offers this," he said. "Look at mobile campaigns and sites verses traditional counterparts. Mobile can reduce cost and mobile is a location-aware personal medium."

The VIP Club's mobile site gives consumers 24/7 access, since members always have their phone on them.

VIP members also get advanced notice of new product arrivals and get offers and content from Foot Locker partners.

Membership is customizable so users can choose preferences to receive more info about the brand and products they want to hear about.

The mobile site at http://mobile.footlocker.com to find a store, get directions, or click to call. Consumers can even bowse sneakers and buy them right from their phones.

"Retailers recognize that the consumer is now increasingly reliant on their mobile phones to access Web sites to find products, compare prices, shop and read reviews," said Jason Taylor, vice president of mobile products for Usablenet, New York.

"The phone is a device that's always with the customer -- when at work, while traveling, and even while shopping in stores," he said.

Usablenet does not power the sites for Foot Locker. Mr. Taylor has much experience with retailers in the mobile space and was commenting based on that track record.

The story behind Foot Locker's mobile VIP Club and its mobile site is it wanted to create brand loyalty through on-demand mobile discounts.

The footwear chain also sought to drive store traffic during new product launches.

With the help of Air2Web, users could opt in through email, Web and in-store to get mobile coupons or notifications of celebrity shoe sales and promotions.

The campaigns took seven business days to implement and lasted one month.

Footlocker's Footaction and Phat Farm partnered for a mobile campaign meant to drive awareness.

The company launched a contest that gave consumers the opportunity to show off their "Phattest Fashions" for a chance to win one of five prizes from Footaction and Phat Farm valued at $400 each.

Tapatap members were asked to take, upload and enter their original photos into the contest using their mobile phone at http://m.tapatap.com.

"Mobile has become increasingly important to retailers because more people are willing to connect with brands via their phones as they search for product availability, prices and coupons," said Neil Strother, analyst at Forrester Research.