Category: Featured News

Report highlights the prospects of mobile commerce for 2013

| March 7, 2013

Mobile Commerce ReportNew report examines the mobile commerce landscape of 2013

Mobile Commerce Daily has released a new report highlighting the trends that are emerging in the retail industry. The report, titled the Mobile Commerce Outlook 2013, provides some insight on how retailers are approaching the issue of mobile commerce and the various challenges they face in doing so. More retailers are beginning to feel the need to cater to mobile consumers, especially as these people become more prone to spending money through their mobile devices rather than participating in traditional forms of commerce. As mobile payments become more common, companies that opt out of mobile commerce may be missing a major opportunity.

Consumers showing more comfort with mobile shopping

According to the report, consumers are more likely to purchase more products if they are shopping from a mobile device. Retailers with efficient and easy-to-use mobile commerce systems see higher sales volumes than those offering cumbersome services. Consumers have shown a great deal of comfort in purchasing products using their smartphones and tablets, even when faced with lingering security concerns the inefficiency of some mobile commerce platforms.

Amazon and eBay establish strong lead in mobile commerce

Companies that already have a strong online presence have been able to establish a formidable lead in the mobile commerce arena. eBay, for instance, expects to see more than $20 billion in global mobile sales in the coming years. Amazon continues to enjoy a dominant role in the retail industry, which has been punctuated by the company’s growing support for mobile commerce. The company has begun catering more heavily to mobile consumers, forcing its competitor to follow suit or risk losing out on a sizable portion of loyal customers.

Security concerns likely to persist into the future

Mobile commerce is still faced with significant challenges which are not likely to be entirely overcome this year. Security remains one of the most significant of these challenges. While many consumers pay little attention to the issue of mobile security, when financial information becomes involved they begin to show more concern. There is no simple solution to the security issue, which means that it will likely continue to plague mobile commerce well into the future.

Mobile payments platforms set to clash this year

| March 7, 2013

Mobile Payments ClashMobile payments are becoming more important for consumers

Mobile payments are becoming a very important part of global commerce. More consumers have smartphones now than ever before, and many of these consumers are looking for more efficient and convenient ways to purchase products. Mobile payments are becoming so important to consumers that new mobile commerce platforms spring up on a seemingly daily basis to help consumers purchase products and transfer money using their mobile devices. Some of these platforms have become so popular that they are beginning to clash with one another for dominance in the mobile commerce arena.

Companies hold high hopes for 2013

LevelUp, which recently celebrating reaching 1 million active users, is one such company. Seth Priesbatsch, founder of the mobile payments platform, believes that 2013 will be the year in which a dominant mobile commerce platform will be crowned. LevelUp is not the only company that shares this belief, of course, as Paydiant, another leading mobile commerce platform, also expects 2013 to be a major year for mobile payments. PayPal boasts of the largest share of active users in terms of mobile payments and expects to see more people participating in mobile commerce this year than ever before.

Loyalty programs and marketing may be where true opportunities lie

Though these companies share high hopes for mobile commerce, mobile payments may not actually be the most significant opportunity that exists in the evolving state of commerce. Loyalty and marketing are where the true opportunities lie, according to Paydient. Loyalty programs from major brands offer consumers access to benefits they can receive by, quite literally, showing loyalty to a specific brand. In some cases, these benefits could be steep discounts on favored products, or free products altogether.

Platform that can provide the best of everything mobile commerce has to offer may win with consumers

Though loyalty programs and marketing hold a great deal of promise, most companies are focused on the area of mobile payments. Developing efficient and effective mobile payment services may open up the door for loyalty programs and marketing campaigns to take hold among consumers. The evolving state of commerce suggests that the company that can offer the best of everything will come out on top in terms of consumer engagement.