Author: Stephen

Consumers want more from their mobile wallets

| June 29, 2015

Mobile wallets need to support loyalty programs to ensure success

Users of mobile wallets prefer their platforms to have loyalty rewards rather than just offering a way to make mobile payments. A new survey from CMB shows that consumers that plan to use mobile wallets in the future are more interested in the ones that are associated with loyalty programs, as such programs can offer more value to these mobile wallets. Such programs are meant to reward consumers for their loyalty to a certain brand or retailer.

Apple Pay will support loyalty cards in its next generation iteration

Recently Apple announced that the next generation of its mobile payments service, Apple Pay, will support the loyalty cards that users have. These loyalty cards are typically issued by retailers that want to ensure the highest level of customer retention. Loyalty rewards include discounts, access to special offers, and a wide range of other benefits that have come to be favored by consumers. The survey from CMB shows that consumers interested in mobile wallets, want these platforms to support loyalty programs.

44% of mobile wallet adopters want support for loyalty programs

Consumers want more from mobile walletsAccording to the survey, 44% of potential mobile wallet adopters claimed that they wanted wallet-specific rewards programs as well as support for their existing loyalty cards. Other value added features, such as the ability to compare prices on a single platform, are less interesting to consumers that want to participate in mobile payments. Apple adding loyalty card support to Apple Pay may make this mobile payments service much more attractive than its competitors.

Mobile wallets offer convenient services that have become favored  among consumers

Mobile wallets serve many functions, from being able to store digital information provided by retailers to facilitating mobile payments. These platforms have become quite popular with consumers because of their convenient nature, but those interested in mobile wallets are beginning to expect much more from these platforms that simple support for mobile payments. As such, mobile wallets that offer the best services have established a strong position with consumers.

Pinterest enters the mobile commerce space

| June 25, 2015

Pinterest is moving forward with its buyable pins feature

Pinterest is one of the latest social companies to become involved in the mobile commerce space. The company recently announced its buyable pins, a feature through which users can purchase products that they see on the social site. Pins, or pictures, will serve as a way to expose users to new products, giving them an opportunity to purchase what they see on their mobile devices through the Pinterest application.

Company will be working with Stripe to make mobile purchases possible over its platform

The social media company will be working with Stripe in order to handle the mobile payments made through its new feature. The idea behind the new feature is to make purchases on a mobile device quick and convenient for users. Buyable pins will show on all featured content on Pinterest, including search and recommendations. For example, if users see a picture of a jacket, they would also be provided with a link to purchase this jacket, with purchases being handled through the Pinterest platform. Users will also be able to compare products and prices.

Social commerce is becoming a focus for companies that want to engage mobile consumers more effectively

Mobile Commerce - Pinterest AppMobile commerce has become an important focus for many social media companies. These companies have taken note of the rise of mobile technology and the role that smartphones and tablets are playing in the daily lives of consumers. These companies are beginning to expand upon a concept called social commerce, which involves the purchasing of products over social media networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. These networks have already launched their own purchasing features, providing Pinterest with competition.

Social commerce can be very beneficial for retailers

Social commerce is growing quickly and consumers have become more interested in purchasing products online with their mobile devices. Social networks represent a powerful way for retailers to gain exposure for their products and these networks can provide retailers with access to a very active and enthusiastic user base that has become interested in mobile commerce.