Author: BWild

NFC-based mobile commerce shows signs of life

| May 6, 2013

Mobile Commerce NFCReport highlights growing mobile commerce initiatives

The Mercator Advisory Group, a market research and analysis firm, has released a new report concerning global mobile commerce initiatives. The report, titled “Global Mobile Retail Payment Initiatives 2013,” aims to shed light on NFC-based mobile commerce and how it is being used in the retail industry. NFC technology has long been a pillar of the mobile commerce field and the technology continues to see strong support in several industries despite the security and efficiency concerns that surround it.

NFC continues to receive criticism

The report notes that there are a growing number of pilot projects concerning NFC-based mobile commerce emerging around the world. In the telecommunications sector, companies responsible for the making of smartphones and tablets are beginning to give their new devices NFC capabilities in order to accommodate the interests that consumers have in mobile commerce and close proximity data sharing. While the report shows that NFC technology is seeing strong progress around the world, the technology continues to be criticized by several of the companies and organizations that are most involved in mobile commerce.

Mobile security concerns surround NFC technology

NFC technology is used to facilitate mobile transactions. This is done by transmitting a consumer’s financial information. This information can be intercepted with relative ease or otherwise stolen from a mobile device by exploiting the capabilities of NFC technology. Companies like PayPal, which has a strong interest in mobile commerce, suggest that NFC technology is simply not secure enough to keep a consumer’s financial information safe. Moreover, the technology may not be adequate of supporting a massive mobile commerce network, leading to efficiency problems.

Small retailers show strong support for NFC-based mobile commerce

While NFC technology may be receiving some dubious attention, the technology is showing promising signs of adoption from small retail businesses. These businesses do not have the same financial clout of their larger counterparts, but must still accommodate the interests of consumers. As such, mobile commerce is gaining ground with these retailers, and NFC technology has been the best solution available to them.

Tablets lead smartphones in mobile commerce

| May 4, 2013

Mobile Commerce - tablets preferred to smartphones for shoppingTablets are eclipsing smartphones in the realm of mobile commerce

Adobe Systems Inc. has released a new study concerning mobile commerce. The study highlights which platform, smartphone or tablet, consumers prefer to use when making online purchases. Mobile commerce involves much more than purchasing products from a mobile device. It also involves shopping, comparing products, and finding the best deals. The study suggests that smartphones may not be up to the task of accommodating the needs of consumers, but tablets may be ideally suited for mobile commerce.

Tablets are catching up to computers

According to the study, the tablet conversion rate is 2.2%, while that of smartphones is only 0.7%. The study notes that computers remain dominant platforms in terms of commerce, but tablets are beginning to catch up due to their portability and ease of use. The study claims that consumers with tablets are as much as three times more likely to purchase products than those using smartphones. This makes tablet consumers a very valuable demographic in the realm of mobile commerce.

iPad proves to be the most popular platform for mobile shopping

Tablets are popular due to their larger, more responsive screens that provide consumers with a better shopping experience. The larger size of tablets makes them more accommodating to conventional websites, allowing consumers to view products without having to struggle with the constrictive size of smartphones. Of the tablets being used for mobile commerce, the iPad represents 77% of the devices used to access the Internet for this purpose.

Retailers may grow more accommodating of tablet devices

Tablets are expected to become the preferred platform for consumers interested in mobile commerce. Smartphones are likely to continue receiving support in this field, but the penchant for consumers to favor their tablets for mobile shopping may cause retailers and other businesses to shift their focus to larger mobile devices.