Author: Dan Gendro

Mobile payments firm aims to expand transactions throughout India

| July 6, 2015

MobiKwik partners with WHSmith India to make mobile payments possible in physical stores

MobiKwik, a mobile payment firm, has partnered with WHSmith India in order to facilitate mobile transactions at physical stores. Mobile commerce has taken off in India, where many consumers are showing favor for shopping for and purchasing products with their smartphones and tablets. The majority of this shopping is happening online, but demand for in-store support of mobile payments has been on the rise in recent years. As such, mobile wallets are becoming more popular and retailers are feeling the pressure to accommodate consumer interests.

Firm envisions a future where all retailers embrace mobile commerce

MobiKwik is one of the more prominent mobile payments firms in India. The company has enabled some 17 million users to make mobile transactions with more than 50,000 retailers in India. MobiKwik is currently working to expand its offline presence, supporting retailers in embracing mobile consumers in their physical stores. Part of doing this involves enabling retailers to accept payments being made by a mobile device.

WHSmith India stores will function as MobiKwik Nodes

Mobile Payments to ExpandThrough its partnership with MobiKwik, WHSmith will become a “MobiKwik Node.” This means that the retailer’s physical stores will accept mobile payments and they will also serve as a place where consumers can add funds to their mobile wallets. According to MobiKwik, approximately only 0.7% of the 40 million small-to-medium enterprises in India currently accept electronic payments. The firm hopes to change this in the future by enabling these organizations to engage mobile consumers more effectively.

Mobile commerce likely to accelerate in India as more consumers make use of services that facilitate payments

Mobile payments are expected to become increasingly common in India in the coming years. The country already represents one of the fastest growing mobile markets in the world and is home to a thriving mobile population. Firms like MobiKwik have promising opportunities ahead of them, especially as smartphone penetration continues to accelerate and more consumers become comfortable with the concept of mobile commerce and the convenience that it represents.

UK is the world’s second largest mobile commerce market

| July 3, 2015

Report shows that UK has become the second largest mobile commerce market in the world

The United Kingdom has become the world’s second largest mobile commerce market, according to a new report from Criteo. This means that the country is only second to Japan when it comes to mobile transactions. Consumers in the UK have shown a great deal of support for mobile commerce, largely due to its convenient nature. Companies that specialize in mobile commerce have found a significant degree of success in the country, as well.

46% of all online transactions in the UK are made on a mobile device

According to the report from Criteo, approximately 46% of all online transactions made in the United Kingdom are now made through smartphones and tablets. Among consumers, mobile payments appear as a more secure way to conduct commerce. Mobile devices are also very convenient for many people, offering them a way to shop for and purchase products whenever they want to. Notably, many consumers prefer to shop from a variety of devices, with only a few being happy to shop on one specific platform.

Mobile apps make it easier for consumers to shop online

UK Mobile Commerce MarketThe report notes that mobile apps have played a major role in the growth of mobile commerce in the UK. These apps have made it easier for consumers to shop online and make purchases with their devices. Approximately half of all mobile transactions being made are coming from these applications, with conversion rates much higher in apps than on mobile websites. While mobile sites are not performing as well as applications when it comes to conversion rates, retailers are still being urged to optimize their sites to better accommodate mobile consumers.

Mobile commerce expected to continue growing in the UK

Mobile commerce has become a powerful force in the United Kingdom. Retailers are beginning to become more mobile-centric in the hopes of better engaging a new generation of consumers. Mobile commerce is expected to continue growing quickly in the UK, especially as more companies enter into this space with their payment platforms.