Author: JT

Mobile commerce efforts may be enhanced with StackMob

PayPal has announced its acquisition of StackMob, a technology development firm with a focus on the mobile sector. The move is expected to improve PayPal’s already considerably presence in the mobile space by giving the company access to innovative tools that have been developed by StackMob. These tools may serve well in PayPal’s ongoing competition in the mobile commerce space. The company is currently vying for the attention of mobile consumers against firms like Square, Google, and Amazon, all of which also have a strong interest in mobile commerce.

Firm shows promise, but lacks financial backing

In 2011, StackMob was able to raise $7.5 million in funding from various investment groups. Despite the firm’s apparent popularity, it had been struggling with raising additional funds through other initiatives. Yahoo reportedly had shown interest in the firm, but did not make a move for acquisition. The firm’s 18 employees will now be incorporated into PayPal, where they will likely work on various mobile projects and help the company compete more fiercely in the mobile commerce field.

Recent acquisitions may give PayPal an edge

PayPal recently acquired Braintree Payment Solutions, which is behind some of the most innovative and popular mobile commerce solutions in the market. Braintree is expected to help PayPal appeal more to merchants and consumers alike with its mobile-centric services and StackMob may be able to augment these services with its expertise and the tools it is bringing to PayPal.

Mobile commerce competition heats up

Competition in the mobile commerce field is quite aggressive. Large companies like Google and Amazon have a strong presence in the sector and are pushing to establish absolute dominance therein. PayPal has the benefit of being tethered to eBay, however, which already has a formidable mobile presence. Backed by recent acquisitions, PayPal may be able to compete with large companies on its own while also providing some benefits to eBay.

The technology giant has found a unique way to personalize the in store shopping experience.

Apple has now debuted its Bluetooth based in store retail mobile marketing geolocation technology called iBeacon, which gives companies the opportunity to communicate with shoppers who have entered their shops at exactly the moment that they are most receptive to it.

This in store geolocation technology is starting to work its way into a growing number of stores.

This form of retail mobile marketing makes it possible for users of iPhones who have the App Store app and whose Bluetooth device feature is turned on (in a device running iOS 7) to receive messages from a store that they have entered that will help to enhance their shopping experience. It could alert them regarding a promotion that is available in the store, provide them with the information that they need to upgrade a purchase, or even turn by turn in store directions to whatever product the shopper is seeking.

Although the concept behind this retail mobile marketing technology isn’t new, it does have its own Apple spin.

This version of geofencing gives retailers the ability to use this type of technology with much greater ease. When using iBeacon, it means that they can use effective “micro location” targeting. There are also great possibilities being seen by locations that have nothing to do with retail, such as museums, theme parks, green parks, or large events. The immediate success of the tech could mean that there could be a sharp spike in the use of these methods in a very short period of time.

At the same time, though, Apple isn’t the only player in this sphere. Google also has a keen interest in geolocation. However, until now, much of their attention has been placed on NFC technology, which was predicted to be a massive player but that is not experiencing nearly the explosion that many investors had hoped.

The leader in this style of retail mobile marketing has yet to be seen, but it will depend on the willingness of both retailers and consumers to opt in. There are a number of issues that could come into play, here, including the types of technologies that are most readily available, those most commonly used by consumers, and the willingness of consumers to hand over personal and location data to retailers on yet another level.