The government's digital minister, Ed Vaizey, agreed to visit Tundu's parent company, Reach Global Ltd, following a parliamentary debate about search engines and technology companies.

Mr Vaizey was invited by local MP Graham Jones, who opened the debate with MPs and cabinet ministers on behalf of Reach Global, which also owns the search engine Searchers, internet marketing company Adrac and property portal NetMovers.

Tundu's development director Michal Popiel (pictured here with Reach Global directors Sohail and Israr Sarwar) said the visit was timely. "Mr Vaizey can see for himself how the different elements of ecommerce can be brought together.

"It might be tough times for the economy, but I believe ecommerce is a driving force for recovery."

During the debate, Mr Jones said he would appreciate it if the minister accepted an invitation to visit Reach Global headquarters, where Tundu is based.

Mr Vaizey replied: "It goes without saying that I am delighted, honoured and flattered to be asked to visit that company in the hon. gentleman's constituency and see the work that it is doing, which has impressed him so much."

No date has yet been confirmed for Mr Vaizey's visit.

New research from analytics company Foresee Results reveals that mobile and customer friendly websites encourage spending.

Shoppers who were pleased with the ease at which they could access a site and find what they wanted were 32% more likely to buy the product online, according to the company's new report.

Interestingly, the mobile performance of a website also influenced 31% of customers to physically go to a shop and spend money, too.

Kevin Ertell, vice president of retail strategy at ForeSee results, said: "Retailers cannot afford to ignore or even neglect the mobile experience and assume it won'R hurt their traditional online or in-store business."

The study included data from almost 10,000 visitors to the largest eCommerce websites in the UK. A similar study was carried out in the US, with similar results. They revealed shoppers compared price information, compared different products, look up product s

pecifications and view product reviews using their mobile phones, and often while actually on a shopping trip. 

Foresee's research is the latest of many that have advised companies to take note of how their customers want to shop, and the benefits of properly designed and optimised websites and mobi sites.

Brand Republic has compiled a list of its favourite celebrity adverts -and also those by which it was bewildered.

They range from Lionel Ritchie promoting Walkers Crisps and Ferdinand, Beckham, Gallagher and Brown appearing in a remake of the infamous Star Wars Cantina scene to promote Adidas.

It makes for entertaining watching - musicians Gallagher and Brown being all chummy as they watch Ferdinand weal a lightsaber and Beckham look guilty even though he didn't kill the talent scout.

It also got Tundu thinking about what celebrities we would use and which scenes from movies we would love to remake as adverts for Tundu.

It turns out we love Fernando Meirelles' City of God; Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; and Richard Curtis' Love Actually. Certainly the cemetery scene in the Spaghetti Western has potential for a Tundu remake ...

While Facebook has been working on a strategic plan to make mobile phones a more social experience to include shopping and discounts, savvy companies are getting ahead of competitors by investing in mobi websites.

More than 200 million people are now using Facebook on their mobile phones and smartphones; last year alone the social networking sumpremo reported 65 million of this type of user.

 The launch of the site’s Places feature allows businesses to offer special mobile-only deals. One of the first to take this up is GAP; according to reports, the clothing company intends to run a campaign offering jeans to the first 10,000 users who check into their local GAP shop using Facebook’s mobile app.

 Tundu's development director Michal Popiel said: "This again underlines the popularity and potentials for the mobile internet market. "Businesses who are not optimised for mobile internet will lag behind those who are. The fact Facebook is moving into the mobile market so heavily speaks volumes.

"75% of people are now using their mobile phones to search for products and services online.  So it's very important for businesses to have an up-to-date WAP version of their website."

Tundu creates effective websites with super-fast download speeds and easy navigation for any mobile network user, making it easy for them to see what you offer and give you a call or even buy online.

 To see some of out mobi designs, created using the most up to date software and tested across all platforms, go to www.tundu.co.uk/other.

Smartphone research by an insurance company reveals that mobiles phones are our constant companions in daily life.

The poll of 3,000 smart phone users carried out by phone insurers ProtectYourBubble.com also reveals that a quarter of users would even check their phones if they popped to the toilet in the middle of the night!

Amazingly, 57% of those questioned, can’t start the new day – without first checking for texts, emails and Facebook updates.

This week's analysis of mobile phone user behaviour makes Michal Popiel, development director at Tundu, wonder why more companies don't have their websites optimised for mobile phone use to encourage more browsing and shopping.

He said: "The way we use phones now is changing. We cannot bear to be parted from them.  Smartphones not only offer great entertainment value but are becoming an increasingly important tool for the consumer.

“75% of people are now using their mobile phones to search for products and services online.  So it's very important for businesses to have an up-to-date WAP version of their website."

Tundu creates effective websites with super-fast download speeds and easy navigation for any mobile network user, making it easy for them to see what you offer and give you a call or even buy online.

To see some of out mobi designs, created using the most up to date software and tested across all platforms, go to Tundu's website 

Tundu's sister companies Searchers and NetMovers enjoyed five minutes of fame this morning when the BBC did a live radio broadcast from our HQ in Church, Lancashire.

Tundu's development director Michal Popiel took photos documenting the visit, including of the amazing telescopic antenna of the BBC's outside broadcast van; while Israr and Sohail Sarwar talked to Helen Randle for the Graham Liver show, explaining to listeners how Searchers and NetMovers are taking on more staff and the plans for future investment into all the companies.

The five-minute interview can be listened to at 02:12:20 on the podcast of Graham's show. 

The company's directors have been interviewed by newspapers, radio and television several times since Reach Global was launched in 2002.

Tundu was among local companies that played host to a delegation from Whitehall and Lancashire business leaders.

Representatives from central and local government visited several businesses in East Lancashire, including Tundu's offices at Reach Global Ltd's Technology Centre in Bridge Street, Church.

The visiting party included the chief executive of East Lancs Chamber of Commerce, Mike Damms, who likened the atmosphere at the Technology Centre to a well-known invigorating energy beverage: "It's like drinking a can of Red Bull!"

Other visitors included High Sheriff of Lancashire Dennis Mendoros; chief executive of Burnley Borough Council Steve Rumbelow; chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council Graham Burgess; and Steve Hoyle from Lancashire County Council.

Tundu, the creative media agency based in Church, Lancashire, has a new account manager.

Claire Lamb liaises directly with customers to ensure their design projects run as smoothly as possible, meet deadlines and fulfil the brief.

Born and educated in Accrington, she comes back to East Lancashire following several years in Germany, where she was the editor of a magazine for personnel and families of the British Army.

She replaces Jordan King, who has begun a college course in graphic design.

Tundu is still running its 10% cash award offer for referring a friend who goes on to commission work. For more details, contact Claire on 01254 304022, live via webchat from the website or by emailing info@tundu.co.uk. Tundu is also on Twitter as @tundu_design.

So much current news states how mobile is the future of internet, so Tundu is going to risk repeating itself, and again urge people to get their e-Commerce websites optimised for the web.  

Some business websites are so difficult to navigate on their mobile phone that anyone visiting them on-the-go won't stay very long, let alone consider spending any money.  

Yet, recent research that Tundu has covered (see 02/09/10 DON'T FORGET YOUR WEBSITE, WEB EXPERT URGES) reveals that people are actually very enthusiastic about spending their money online.  

A recent survey by eDigital Research revealed 13% of smartphone owners do more than 20% of their shopping via mobile, while 4% do more than 60%.  

This week the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) released research into European mobile internet usage and fanned the flames of this theme some more.  

"British mobile consumers emerged as the most likely to use the mobile Internet regularly, with 36% stating their intentions to do so over the next 12 months," says the MMA's release.  

If your website isn't optimised for the web then it is unlikely you'll be seeing that profit.  

A website adjusted for mobile phones is known as an m-Commerce site. Optimising it includes making it smaller in size so people don't have to scroll across acres of screen to find what they want, or read one letter at a time.  

It also makes your website more attractive to browse because it loads faster (and cheaper for some users) and it will work properly on a phone.  

Businesses who want to make money off the web, and off the trend of people shopping from their smartphones, are not the only ones who need to consider tweaking their website for mobile viewing.  

The MMA-Lightspeed research also noted that consumers would be most likely to demand mobile access to news, weather, social networking and search over the coming year, with maps and directions being the most desired content in the UK.  

For more information about how many ways an m-Commerce or mobile-optimised website can benefit your business, contact Tundu today on 01254 304022, email info@tundu.co.uk, tweet us on @tundu_design or use the live chat facility on our front page.

Tundu is offering a great 10% cash deal on website and web-for-mobile referrals.

You might know someone - a work colleague, friend, business owner or even a relative - who needs some website work. They might need one designing from scratch, including the branding, or perhaps a better web design based on their existing look. They could be desperate to get an effective e-Commerce site up and running, or have a mobile version made to exploit the growing popularity of purchases from smartphones.

Whoever they are and whatever their requirement, if they come to Tundu at your insistence and pay us for work, you get a cash commission of 10% of their invoice. Like the sound of it? Pass the message on!

The sunny weather this week hasn't tempted Accrington sculptor Matthew Cave away from his work.

Matthew is currently working on a number of commissions, including a physical representation Tundu's iconic mask logo - so even while the sun shines, he's in the cool isolation of his workshop adjoining the Technology Centre on Bridge Street.

The finished mask will be displayed on the wall next door, where Tundu is based. The design company's business development director, Michal Popiel, explained the mask is symbolic of the notions of identity and craftsmanship and he was looking forward to seeing Matthew's creation develop over the coming weeks.

Matthew was tight-lipped about the final choice of wood for the project, but hinted that, in line with the complex Tundu design, it might well be constructed from more than one type.

His other projects include a bespoke desk for a local businessman.

BUSINESSES in the North West can cash in if they use their websites properly - or miss out on their share of the market if they don't, an expert has warned.

"Some companies don't have a web presence. Some have one but never update it, others have a badly-designed site that won't win them any customers," said Tundu business development director Michal Popiel.

"A website should be powerful in the way the words and design interact and how the SEO is crafted. They should actively help a business to succeed and be current, appropriate and well-designed, both visually and technically."

Tundu itself was launched this week in response to customer demand and is a trading style of Reach Global Group. Its team of designers, copywriters and SEO experts is well-established within the group.

Mr Popiel also advised companies that a mobile version of their websites is a good investment, considering the massive growth in popularity of internet shopping on-the-go.

People can log on to www.tundu.co.uk and see how Tundu has optimised it for different PC screen sizes and also the iPhone. More mobile versions will be available soon.

A recent survey by eDigital Research revealed 13% of smartphone owners do more than 20% of their shopping via mobile, while 4% do more than 60%.

In addition, Alex Kozloff of the Internet Advertising Bureau warned British businesses that UK consumers were seeking out brands on their mobile phones and those who were already catering for this growing demand might attract "otherwise loyal customers" away from those who were not.

Photo caption: Some members of the Tundu team with Reach Global directors: (L-R) Michal Popiel (business development manager, Tundu), Sohail Sarwar (director and head of special projects, Reach Global), Israr Sarwar (group operations director, Reach Global), Jordan King (accounts manager, Tundu), Kym Kinlin (technical director, Reach Global), Ewa Firkowska (PA to group operations, Reach Global), Jackie Yeadon (PR and copywriting, Tundu).

A gap in meeting consumer demand could be what some SMEs are waiting for, according to a website and e-Commerce specialist.

Michal Popiel, director of Tundu creative media agency, said smaller companies could get ahead of larger retailers in the competitive online shopping market by making sure their website is optimised for mobile phones.

"SMEs who trade on the internet have the opportunity to fill a demand for online shopping using mobile phones, which larger retailers are not yet meeting," he explained.

"Considering the time it is taking for big British names to get themselves organised with m-Commerce, if SMEs move quickly they will be at the forefront of this retail revolution."

His advice comes as new research reveals almost two-thirds of British businesses are lagging behind in the e-Commerce stakes by not having a website optimised for mobile phone shopping.

Some 41% of UK retail brands told the survey by AIME, Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and IMRG that they were planning to have transactional mobile websites or applications within a year.

Alex Kozloff of the IAB said UK consumers were seeking out brands on their mobile phones, and warned that companies who were already catering for the online retail demand might begin to win "otherwise loyal customers".

The survey underlined the worry that some retailers could lose out on additional revenues from mobile consumer traffic to their websites and not enough businesses had a website optimised for this kind of viewing.

A separate survey by eDigital Research revealed 13% of smartphone owners do more than 20% of their shopping via mobile, while 4% do more than 60%.

Original source: http://www.iabuk.net/en/1/consumersoutpacingretailersinmobile180810.mxs

About Tundu: Tundu is a creative media agency based in Lancashire. It is part of the Reach Global Group and specialises in websites, branding, e-Commerce and internet video.