Tag: canada mobile commerce

New service has been put to trial in Toronto, Canada

PayPal has brought a new mobile payments service to Toronto, Canada. The company has been working to further establish its dominance in the mobile commerce field by providing businesses and consumers a way to connect to one another more effectively throughout mobile devices. In Canada, consumers are beginning to use their smartphones for much more than just communication. These people are beginning to shop for products and pay for services from their mobile devices more frequently, increasing the demand for comprehensive mobile commerce services.

Mobile payments now supported by 50 bars in Toronto area

PayPal has partnered with 50 bars in the Toronto area in order to make mobile payments possible among consumers. Those using the PayPal mobile application can make payments at these bars with their smartphones. PayPal has launched similar services in the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom and has received strong support from consumers in those countries. The application also has a unique approach on the matter of security.

PayPal app takes a unique approach to mobile commerce security

In order to place an order at a participating bar in Toronto, users of the PayPal app must “check-in” using the app’s location-based features. After doing so, consumers can place orders for food. In order to pay for the order, the application will require that the user takes a picture of themselves. This picture will be made available to staff as a form of authentication. The application can also be used to find nearby stores that also accept PayPal mobile payments.

PayPal focuses on restaurants for trial of new mobile services

The launch of PayPal’s service in Toronto represents a sort of trial. The company is testing the enthusiasm that Canadian consumers have when it comes to mobile commerce. If the company’s service receives strong support, it will likely make the service more widely available throughout the country. PayPal often chooses restaurants for these sorts of trials because they are places where consumers expect quick and convenient service. If PayPal’s services do well in that sort of environment, they are likely to perform well in retail environments as well.

The HBC Department Store Group has launched new stronger shopping apps for its brands.

Among the latest announcements from the HBC Department Store Group is that it has now launched a new iOS mobile commerce app for both its Lord & Taylor and Hudson’s Bay retail stores.

The application has been designed to span the gap between traditional media and online shopping.

To achieve the mobile app development, HBC has been working with Pounce, a consumer facing mobile commerce application that brings together traditional media with the smartphone and tablet channel. This gives customers the ability to use their mobile devices to purchase merchandise that they have seen in print media such as flyers or catalogs. Pounce remains the only app with approval from Hudson’s Bay and Lord & Taylor which gives customers the ability to shop directly from what they are seeing in print.

This mobile commerce app gives consumers the chance to use their devices to scan images in print media.

The m-shopping app was launched in Canada immediately ahead of the start of the Winter Olympic Games, this year. The timing was deliberate as the Hudson’s Bay is the official apparel sponsor of the Paralympic and Olympic teams that Canada is sending to compete in the Sochi 2014 games. The print ads that the retailer issues just ahead of – and during – the games will be the first that will display the Pounce shopping opportunity for consumers.

Outside of Canada, the smartphone shopping app will also be launched in the United States for Lord & Taylor.

According to Michael Crotty, the HBC chief marketing officer, the purpose of this new effort is to be able to embrace the latest popular technology and combine it with traditional media. He explained that “Pounce creates the opportunity to combine offline and online channels in a seamless way. He also pointed out that the unique capability of the app provides a natural fit with the brand as they expand their omni-channel strategy. It provides not only the opportunity to continue with traditional marketing and to appeal to users of mobile devices, but also the chance to bring them together.