Author: JT

MasterPass mobile payments available in-car with GM OnStar

| November 2, 2016

Drivers will soon be able to complete secure purchase transactions from within their vehicles.

A recent announcement has revealed that OnStar will soon allow drivers to make MasterPass mobile payments in GM vehicles. OnStar is a General Motors subsidiary and offers a subscription-based in-car communication service.

The mobile payments service was created in collaboration with IBM and will be available in several 2017 GM vehicles.

The service let drivers use their MasterPass mobile payments accounts to buy products and services. The transaction will run via OnStar and will be embedded within “many GM vehicles” next year.

MasterPass mobile payments - Mobile Phone and DriverA statement from MasterCard said: “By embedding MasterPass within OnStar Go, MasterCard will enable drivers and passengers to safely make secure and seamless payments for goods and services using credit or debit cards stored within their MasterPass wallet.”

This MasterPass mobile payments service will make it possible for merchants to provide a more connected experience.

In combination with IBM Watson, the OnStar mobile wallet service will develop new “connected driving experiences.” For instance, if the driver decides to buy a take-out breakfast from one of the restaurants on the OnStar Go merchant marketplace, new options would become available. That restaurant could, for example, ask the driver about ordering certain menu items based on purchases previously made there.

Consumers can make their orders ahead of time and checkout through the MasterPass service within their vehicles. They can then drive to the store or restaurant location to pick up the order. Since the transaction has already been handled through OnStar, that step needn’t be taken in-store. This helps to reduce the amount of time needed in order to make a purchase, providing a smoother experience.

Over time, as the driver continues to use MasterPass mobile payments, the merchants from whom the consumer makes purchases will be able to identify that individual’s shopping trends. This will make it possible for merchants to craft offers that are personalized to the unique preferences of each shopper. With customized and relevant marketing, consumers may find the offers they receive to be more appealing and may act on them on a more regular basis.

Diwali m-commerce will be a bright light this year

| October 25, 2016

As a growing number of consumers look to their smartphones while shopping, this week may break records.

A recent Criteo report has predicted that the Diwali m-commerce figures will be higher than ever before. In fact, this may represent the first time mobile shopping will overtake web browsers for this holiday.

Last year at this time, 40 percent of online traffic to major retail websites was generated by mobile devices.

This rapid increase in Diwali m-commerce use is a direct reflection of the expansion of use in India. A statement from Criteo said “Customers prefer buying new brands from upcoming shopping websites, where they are offered best prices as well as discounts. With the ease of m-commerce, they get the option to explore thousands of brands at the click of a button.”

Diwali m-commerce - candleThis shift in consumer behaviors has greatly altered the nature of competition among companies in the country. At no time is this competition more fierce as the festive season provides the leading opportunity for Indian retailers to draw consumers.

Many online retailers took the chance to target Diwali m-commerce shoppers even before the season began.

There were a number of mega sales launched even before the festive period got started. This generated somewhat of a war between brands as massive marketing campaigns were launched. In this last week leading up to Diwali, consumers are being inundated with offers for products and services.

Last year’s peak season ran from October 8 to November 8 and the pre-Diwali shopping season saw a notable increase in traffic to Indian retail websites. Last year, there was an average increase of 35 percent to retail website traffic in India. During that same span of time, there was an increase of up to 87 percent in sales on those sites. This year, Diwali starts on October 30 and runs to November 3, which means that the season began earlier in the year and the leading trends are already becoming clear.

This year, consumers are even more tech savvy and are looking to Diwali m-commerce opportunities to allow them to save money and shop more conveniently for holiday gifts.