Mobile commerce is showing signs of life
Mobile commerce in the Middle East is beginning to pick up momentum. The availability of smartphones and tablets is on the rise, giving consumers new ways to shop and purchase products over the Internet. E-commerce has held a relatively strong foothold throughout the region, but mobile commerce is beginning to show signs of aggressive growth, powered by the interests of young, tech-savvy consumers. Much of this growth is expected to be seen in Saudi Arabia, where mobile technology penetration is quite high.
PayPal report projects bright future for mobile commerce
PayPal has released a new report concerning mobile commerce in the Middle East. The report shows that mobile transactions currently represent 10% of all online purchases in the region. Mobile commerce is expected to represent 20% of all online sales in the Middle East by 2015. The report notes that shopping from a traditional PC remains dominant in the e-commerce sector, but this will not be the case in the near future as more consumers begin favoring their mobile devices for their shopping.
Mobile payments in Saudi Arabia are likely to grow
In Saudi Arabia, e-commerce is expected to reach $2.7 billion by the end of 2015. Mobile commerce in the country will account for approximately $700 million by that time. The report suggests that tablets will lead the rise of mobile commerce in Saudi Arabia. Many consumers appear to enjoy their shopping experience on tablet devices due to the larger screens and better control options of these devices. Tablets can make mobile commerce more attractive by providing consumers with a memorable and enjoyable shopping experience.
Experience may dictate growth of mobile commerce
Mobile commerce is also expected to make strong progress in Qatar as well, representing $400 million by the end of 2015. Smartphones are likely to become more popular than tablets in the mobile commerce space simply because they are more abundant. Ultimately, the growth of mobile commerce will be determined by consumer experience rather than what device is more readily available to them in the Middle East.
