Tag: australia mobile commerce

Mobile commerce shows impressive growth in Australia

| June 27, 2014

ACMA report highlights the growing activity in the mobile field

Mobile commerce has experienced strong growth throughout Australia since 2010, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Consumers are becoming mobile-centric and more inclined to shop for and purchase products from their mobile devices. Australian businesses have taken note of this and are beginning to focus more aggressively on connecting with mobile consumers. The ACMA has released a report concerning the growth of mobile commerce in the country, highlighting the trends that are contributing to this growth.

Mobile payments grow by 448% since December 2010

According to the ACMA mobile commerce in Australia has grown by 448% since December 2010. As of December 2013, more than 3.4 million people throughout the country are making use of mobile payment platforms. People are beginning to use their mobile devices to manage their funds more easily, according to the ACMA report. The report notes that money transfers are the most widely used mobile service among consumers in Australia.

Smartphone adoption is powering mobile commerce activity

Australia Mobile Commerce GrowthThe report found that mobile commerce is most common among those between the ages of 25 and 34. This demographic tends to be more reliant on their mobile devices and more comfortable with mobile technology in general. The growing adoption of smartphones and tablets has also played a role in increasing mobile commerce activity.

Consumers remain more confident in conventional e-commerce than mobile shopping, but that may change in the future

While mobile payments are becoming more common throughout Australia, conventional e-commerce is still performing better than the mobile sector. The ACMA notes that e-commerce sales coming from PCs, in particular, are growing at a rapid pace. Currently, traditional e-commerce sales are 27% higher than sales being recorded from mobile devices. Shopping online from a PC is also more popular among a more diverse group of consumers. Many people have become very comfortable with e-commerce, having extensive experience with PCs and laptops. Mobile commerce may eventually outpace conventional e-commerce activity, but it could take years for consumers to become comfortable with the idea of purchasing products exclusively from a mobile device.

Retailers in Australia embrace mobile payments

| May 28, 2014

Retailers are flocking to mobile commerce more quickly than consumers are in Australia

Australian retailers are adopting mobile payments faster than consumers, according to Vend, a New Zealand vendor that develops point-of-sale tools for traditional retail stores. Consumers have been showing relatively strong interest in the concept of mobile commerce, but only a modest amount of these people have actually begun participating in mobile shopping. Retailers, however, have been aggressive in their adoption of mobile commerce, hoping to engage a consumer base that is becoming more mobile-centric.

Retail sector continues to aggressively adapt to changes in the business landscape

Australia’s retail sector has always been somewhat ahead when it comes to matters of commerce. Retailers in the country are often quick to adopt new technology that allows them to better engage consumers in a dynamic way. The problem, however, is that consumers are not as enthusiastic when it comes to some of the moves that retailers are making. Mobile commerce is still relatively new and while retailers have high hopes for the mobile space, many consumers are wary of the threats that exist therein.

Consumers are still wary of mobile commerce and its security issues

Mobile payments embraced in AustraliaMany people have cited security issues as their reason for not participating in mobile commerce. Because mobile commerce involves the trafficking of financial information over mobile platforms, this sector has become particularly attractive to malicious groups that would be interested in exploiting this financial information. In Australia, consumers are more apt to favor traditional forms of payment rather than mobile forms. Part of this mentality may be due to poor experiences that consumers may have had with mobile commerce platforms in the past.

Many consumers are comfortable with traditional payment methods and have had bad experiences with mobile commerce platforms

Changing consumer behavior is not likely to be an easy feat. Retailers have been promoting mobile payments for some time but have found relatively little traction. Consumers have become quite comfortable with the way they shop and pay for products. New forms of payments can make some people uncomfortable and unwilling to use mobile platforms while shopping. Poorly designed mobile commerce platforms can also have an adverse effect on people’s opinions concerning mobile commerce.