Author: JT

Appearance anxiety is changing the way people shop online

Appearance anxiety is having an effect on the way people, particularly young women, shop. Social media has become overwhelmingly popular among Millennials, many of whom enjoy sharing pictures of themselves online. This is beginning to change the way young women shop online, however, especially when it comes to fashion. Many Millennials are becoming concerned that they will look too stale if they have a limited wardrobe. Appearing in multiple pictures wearing the same or similar clothing as others is leading to an increase in shopping.

Millennials are becoming more interested in shopping due to what they see on social media platforms

This is called the “Instagram effect” and it may be good news for retailers. Because Millennials are feeling more pressure to diversify their fashion, they are beginning to shop more frequently, especially online. For retailers involved in mobile commerce, this trend could lead to new opportunities in the social media space. Many retailers are beginning to use social networks to try and sell products. This is often referred to as “social commerce” and it could have a major impact on the way retailers connect with consumers in the future.

Retailers may need to focus more on engaging the mobile commerce space

There is a risk in this, however, as retailers may give up more of their marketing and promotional capabilities to social media platforms. These platforms are beginning to play a larger role in the mobile commerce space, with several platforms introducing “buy buttons” that make it easier for consumers to purchase products online from their mobile devices. As Millennials become more influenced by what they see on social media sites, these buy buttons are gaining more popularity.

Retailers and social media companies will have to work together

Mobile commerce is well on its way to becoming a mainstream success with significant economical influence. As social media platforms begin to play a larger role in this space, retailers will have to become more conscious of how emerging trends are affecting the shopping behavior of consumers. They will also have to find a way to work effectively with social media companies in order to engage consumers.

Many are predicting that the service from the tech giant is what the industry needs to take off.

Apple’s next step for its mobile payments service was in the United Kingdom, where it launched on July 14, and now many people are wondering the same thing that was asked in the United States when it began there: will this make the tech mainstream?

Analysts believe that Apple has the power and technology to take this type of service to mainstream levels.

The Apple mobile payments service is available for users of the iPhone 6 standard model and its Plus model, as well as for Apple Watch users. Currently, there are over 250,000 different locations throughout the United Kingdom that offer these contactless payments so that money can be paid through a card that is linked to the service, without ever having to take out the piece of plastic. Furthermore, the iPad Mini 3 and the iPad Air 2 have been equipped with the ability to use the service to make in-app purchases.

There are approximately 3 million devices in the U.K. that are compatible with this mobile payments service.

That statistic was according to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. Its figures also showed that in all of December, 2014, in the U.K., there had been 46.1 million contactless smartphone based payments made. The consumer insights director of that firm, Imran Choudhary, explained that “The market wasn’t making enough noise but now Apple is on board that will all change,” adding that “They are the ones to tie it all together and with all the eligible devices it is only a matter of time before everyone gets on board.”

That said, many similar types of predictions were also made when Apple Pay was first launched in the United States. That service stepped into a market where there were already some massive players – such as Google Wallet and even Softcard, which shut down at the end of March, despite the involvement of three massive telecoms.

Many have been turning to Apple to launch several types of markets, including mobile payments and wearable technology, but only time will tell whether or not the tech giant has the sway that is required to make such as large change in the shopping habits of the majority of the population.