HP looks to bolster mobile presence
Hewlett-Packard has announced that it will be bolstering its presence in the mobile payments field. The announcement comes on the heels of the success of a recent payment venture from PKO Bank Polski in Poland. HP has taken note of the bank’s successful mobile initiative and its use of the IKO mobile payments application. In order to improve its standing in the mobile sector, HP will be partnering with Accumulate, a company that specializes in mobile security solutions and commerce.
HP has high hopes for the mobile sector
HP is no stranger to the mobile payments sector. The company already offers a number of security solutions that have helped make mobile transactions safer in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. HP has seen a growing demand for comprehensive mobile payments services, however, and is eager to meet this demand with its own offering. As such, the company will be working with Accumulate in order to help satisfy consumer demand.
Mobile payments firm may be an asset to HP
Teaming with Accumulate will give HP access to a wide range of consumers around the world. Accumulate boasts of some 100 million users worldwide, with a prominent presence among financial service firms. The mobile commerce firm has teamed with several banks in order to make new forms of commerce more available to mobile consumers. Accumulate’s experience is likely to provide HP with healthy momentum as it works to expand into the mobile sector.
Secure solutions could be a big hit with consumers
HP will not only be looking to engage consumers with its commerce initiative, of course, as many businesses have come to rely on the services that HP offers. Accumulate and HP aim to offer businesses better mobile payments services that are secure and reliable. Improved security alone is expected to help businesses appeal more effectively to consumers that have been showing interest in making mobile payments.
Companies agree to tackle mobile commerce
Alibaba, one of China’s largest retail organizations, has entered into a new agreement with Intime Department Store. Intime currently operates 37 retail stores in China and had been looking to establish a stronger presence in the mobile sector. This interest aligns with Alibaba’s own plans and the two companies have agreed to work together to make mobile payments more accessible to consumers. This will be accomplished by Intime incorporating support for the Alipay Wallet application into its stores.
Alipay Wallet to be supported by Intime stores
Alipay was launched in January of this year and represents Alibaba’s approach to mobile commerce. The application is meant to store the financial information of users and make use of this information to facilitate purchases directly from a mobile device. The application currently boasts of more than 100 million users throughout China, making it the country’s premier mobile commerce platform. One of the attractive aspects of the application is the fact that it does not rely on NFC technology. The Alipay Wallet is able to facilitate mobile payments through the scanning of QR codes and similar barcodes.
Companies to expand their focus on mobile payments
Per the agreement, Intime will begin supporting payments being made by customers using the Alipay Wallet. This may help expose more people to the concept of mobile commerce and give them more flexibility when it comes to shopping at Intime stores. Both Alibaba and Intime have also agreed to expand their efforts in the mobile commerce field beyond the use of the Alipay Wallet. Exactly what that entails is not yet known.
Mobile commerce continues to gain traction in China
Mobile commerce has been gaining popularity with Chinese consumers for some time. More people are gaining access to smartphones and tablets and are beginning to demand more convenient and efficient ways to shop. Mobile commerce has been able to win over many people with its convenient aspects, but efficiency can often be a problem, especially if retailers are not comfortable with using mobile commerce platforms effectively.