Author: JT

PayPal expands to the Middle East

| November 17, 2012

 

PayPal teams with Aramex to enter the Middle East

PayPal has announced the launPaypal dealch of new operations in the Middle East. The move comes in the wake of reaching an agreement with Aramex, a logistics and transportation solutions provider. The two companies will work together to boost mobile commerce in the Middle East region, hoping to tap into the burgeoning market that exists there. PayPal will provide support to the Aramex Shop & Ship service, which is a shopping platform designed to make shopping easier in the Middle East for consumers from outside the region.

Middle Eastern market holds promise for PayPal

PayPal has many ambitious concerning mobile commerce, especially in emerging markets throughout the Middle East. The company had, in the past, been interested in promoting NFC technology as a way to facilitate mobile transactions. In 2011, PayPal abandoned NFC technology in favor of other pursuits in mobile commerce, such as developing its own credit card reader that can be attached to mobile devices. By teaming with Aramex, PayPal may now be able to make its ambitious concerning mobile commerce in the Middle East a reality.

Middle Eastern consumers have yet to be won over by online shopping

Mobile commerce has become exceedingly popular in North America and Europe, but is still in a stage of infancy in the Middle East. More consumers in this region are beginning to obtain mobile devices and showing interest in participating in mobile commerce. The penetration of smart phones and tablets, however, is still low, thus limiting the reach of any mobile commerce initiative. Mobile technology has established a strong foothold with Middle Eastern consumers, however, so it may just be a matter of time before mobile commerce begins building momentum in the region.

Aramex platform may be ideal for PayPal initiative

PayPal is keen to bolster the online presence of Middle Eastern businesses, both large and small. In doing so, the company believes that mobile commerce will attract the attention of consumers throughout the region. The Aramex Shop & Ship platform is expected to help in this endeavor as it makes mobile shopping more convenient for those with smart phones and other mobile devices.

ScanLife study shows the effectiveness of QR codes

| November 14, 2012

 

QR Codes Mobile MarketingScanLife releases new study concerning QR codes

ScanLife, a mobile advertising firm specializing in QR codes, has released a new study concerning the scanning of QR codes and how they can be used effectively by brands. QR codes are already popular marketing tools and have been so for some time. Despite this, however, many companies are still uncertain on how to use them effectively. ScanLife has long been an advocate for QR codes, claiming that companies can see major gains if they were to use the codes in an effective manner. The firm has released its new study in the hopes of spreading awareness on the capabilities of QR codes.

Study draws information from more than 200 codes and thousands of scans

For this study, ScanLife made use of more than 200 QR codes, which generated thousands of scans each. These scans were tracked by the company’s Mobile Engagement Platform, which provided ScanLife with valuable analytic data concerning the use of its QR codes. Each of the codes were linked to mobile websites that were created by advertisers using the ScanLife platform, providing context sensitive content for consumers rather than sending them to random places on the Internet.

QR codes highly effective when targeting specific demographics

According to the study, the majority of people who scanned the QR codes are interested in particular products and services. ScanLife notes that this makes QR codes very effective when used to target a specific demographic, but less effective for a broader marketing approach. The study shows that 62% of all scans translated into further engagement. The study suggests that consumers presented with content relevant to their interests were much more likely to get engaged in marketing campaigns.

Codes still useful even when compared to interactive technologies

QR codes are often used as an all-encompassing mobile marketing tool. The codes have shown their value to marketers by proving that they can be effective in engaging tech-savvy consumers, but have begun losing popularity to more interactive technologies, such as NFC and augmented reality. ScanLife notes that QR codes can still be highly effective if marketers use them to target a very specific audience.