Author: Denny

Augmented reality campaign launched by Very to boost mobile commerce

| October 28, 2012

 

Augmented Reality shoppingVery teams with Fabulous to push augmented reality campaign

British retailer Very has teamed with Fabulous magazine, an imprint of The Sun, to launch a new mobile marketing campaign that makes use of augmented reality. The initiative will help Very get a better understanding of what consumers are looking for leading up to the Christmas season. The campaign will also encourage consumers to use their mobile devices to find products they like and make purchases online, thus boosting the prevalence of mobile commerce.

Campaigns aims to promote mobile commerce

Very’s augmented reality marketing campaign is powered by Blippar, a leading augmented reality platform. The campaign will run through four pages of Fabulous magazine, each containing a digital experience that can be unlocked using a smart phone. The campaign aims to show off a variety of fashions that consumers may find interesting and give them a chance to see outfits on display on a catwalk. Consumers will be able to pick out individual pieces from the campaign and purchase these pieces directly from Very using their mobile device.

Very has more plans for augmented reality

This will be the first augmented reality initiative launched by Very is preparation for the Christmas season. The retailer examining how well the technology can integrate itself into its existing marketing strategies. Very aims to use augmented reality to drive mobile commerce amongst its more tech-savvy consumers. Focus on mobile commerce could be a major boon for retailers during the Christmas season, especially as more consumers are beginning to rely heavily on their mobile devices to get shopping done.

Very continues to adapt to the changing needs of consumers

Christmas is a big time of the year for retailers. Over the years, retailers have had to adopt to the changing needs and interests of consumers in order to remain relevant with them. With more consumers showing interest in mobile commerce and augmented reality, Very is keen to ensure that it can engage these consumers where they are most interested.

ABI Research predicts major growth in mobile payments

| October 22, 2012

 ABI Research releases new report concerning growth of NFC-based mobile payments

NFC-based mobile payments are expected to see a massive boom in the coming years, according to a new report from ABI Research. Mobile commerce has been growing in popularity with consumers, leading many to believe that mobile payments are far more convenient than traditional forms of commerce. Consumers are gaining access to a growing variety of NFC-enabled mobile devices, which is boosting their exposure to mobile commerce. ABI Research predicts that this exposure will drive growth behind the burgeoning industry.

Report shows growth despite concerns regarding NFC technology

According to the firm’s report, the total value of NFC-based mobile payments will reach $100 billion by 2016. This prediction accounts for the swelling tide of criticism that has been directed at NFC technology recently. Critics of the technology claim that it is not safe enough for mobile commerce, with others suggesting that it is simply not capable of handling the needs Mobile Payments Growth Trendof consumers. While some of these concerns have slowed the progress of the mobile commerce industry, which is heavily based on NFC technology, ABI Research expects that the industry will continue to grow well into the future.

Predictions may be derailed by new technologies and platforms

The report shows that NFC-based mobile payments are currently valued at $4 billion for this year. ABI Research estimates that this will blossom to $191 billion by the end of 2017. After this point, mobile commerce may see its progress and expansion slow somewhat, but continue to grow nonetheless. It is possible for this prediction to be derailed due to the emergence of a new technology or mobile payment platform that does not use NFC technology, a prospect that is becoming more possible with every passing day.

More companies beginning to look for alternative to NFC technology

Because of the problems associated with NFC technology, companies that are interested in mobile commerce, such as PayPal and Apple, are developing their own platforms for mobile payments. These companies are forgoing the use of NFC technology to allow consumers to make payments with mobile devices in a different way. If these technologies manage to capture the interest of consumers at large, the growth of NFC-based mobile payments may turn out very different than what ABI Research predicts.