Crowded stores, employees swamped with questions...don't get in that line, use GE's new mobile geappliances.com web site to access GE's suggested retail pricing and product descriptions and to get answers without the wait
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Black Friday shopping extends beyond the traditional holiday ornament, GPS system, and MP3 players. Post-Thanksgiving shoppers have turned their gazes from electronics to appliances.
Compared to Black Friday 2008, 2009 Black Friday freezer sales jumped by 104 percent, washer/dryer combos by 70 percent, and refrigerators by 30 percent.
To make appliance shopping easier, GE created a mobile version of its website, M.GEAppliances.com, just in time for Black Friday. GE plans to launch the new version of its site on Monday, Nov. 12.
GEAppliances.com will automatically redirect shoppers who type or search for GE Appliances to the site with information scaled down and specifically targeted for consumers using their smart phones, including rebates, product specifications, and where-to-buy functionality.
"GE will offer multiple rebates on Black Friday," said Irene Newsom, program manager for GEAppliances.com, "and we want our potential customers to have access to that information on their smart phones to help with last-minute buying decisions."
GE, which receives about 20 million daily unique visitors a year on GEAppliances.com, is responding to a steadily growing market segment.
"Navigating on the mobile site is a snap," said Newsom. "We've pared down the information available on GE's full website to give mobile visitors exactly what they need." Of those 20 million visitors, about 10 to 12 percent access the site through their phone, an increase from 7 percent in January 2010.
To determine what information to display, GE conducted an online poll to create the first draft of its revamped site and then hired a specialty firm to test its usability. After receiving feedback, GE adjusted the original draft, and the mobile site is now in the final stages of preparation before launch.
GE originally planned to introduce the site at the end of the year, but decided to move up the launch date to accommodate Black Friday shoppers' needs -- when stores are packed, sales people are swamped, and customers are looking for information.
"Buying a major appliance is a big expense, and consumers tend to research it before they buy," said Newsom, "so they can jump on our site whether they're watching their kids play in a soccer game or when they're shopping in a store. They'll have access to the latest information in an easy-to-read format for their smart phone."
Friend GE Appliances on Facebook to view how-to videos, learn about new GE appliances, and join in the discussion with other GE appliance owners. Join today and follow @GE_Appliances on Twitter, or just locate detailed information about our products at www.geappliances.com or m.geappliances.com from your smart phone.
About GE Appliances & Lighting
GE Appliances & Lighting spans the globe as an industry leader in major appliances, lighting, systems and services for commercial, industrial and residential use. Technology innovation and the company's ecomagination(SM) initiative enable GE Appliances & Lighting to aggressively bring to market products and solutions that help customers meet pressing environmental challenges. General Electric (NYSE: GE), imagination at work, sells products under the Monogram®, Profile™, GE®, Hotpoint®, Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Tetra®, Vio™ and Immersion® commercial brands. For more information, consumers may visit www.ge.com.
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Allison Gatta