Google fights to see return in mobile commerce

 

Google confronted with the problems of NFC technology

Despite the growing popularity surrounding mobile commerce, NFC technology has hit a rough patch in the global community. Mobile commerce relies heavily on NFC technology in order to function adequately. While the technology has proven very capable of facilitating mobile payments, it has run afoul of security groups and consumers who consider the technology to be a liability to their financial information. Google is one of the many companies that has invested heavily into NFC technology and now has to confront the question of whether they will be able to find profit in doing so.

Google Wallet has yet to impress consumers

NFC technology has seen a great deal of success amongst businesses. The technology has attracted investments and support largely because of its potential in the realm of mobile commerce. NFC often finds a home in mobile applications called mobile wallets. These platforms enable consumers with smart phones and other mobile devices to make payments using the financial information stored by the platform. Last year, Google launched the Google Wallet, which brought NFC-based mobile payments to a wide range of consumers. The platform was not well received by many, however.

Security fumbles at launch leave consumers leery

Google Wallet was plagued with problems at its launch. The platform even fell victim to simple “brute force” hacking, which could have put the financial information of consumers at serious risk. Google has since bolstered the security features of its mobile commerce platform, but the company’s initial security blunders cost it the favor of many consumers. Consumers around the world have begun showing a great deal of reluctance concerning mobile commerce, largely because of the lackluster security they are seeing from he companies involved in the burgeoning industry.

Google has time to see success from Wallet platform

Google has not yet seen return on its investment in the Google Wallet. The company has a profit margin of 22% and an operating margin of 28%, so Google has some time to spare before it has to take action and address the performance of the mobile commerce platform. Google Wallet is not the only venture in mobile commerce that Google is currently involved in, but it may become the company’s flagship if it can overcome the problems it is facing.