Category: Mobile Commerce

Asia has become the leading force in smartphone ownership

Asia has become the world’s leading market in terms of smartphone ownership, with more consumers choosing to purchase these mobile devices every day. The various economies of the region have been able to outperform other markets, especially in the mobile space and several other sectors. Mobile operators in this region could now have the opportunity to connect with new consumers and disrupt the payments space in a way they were never able to before.

Mobile operators are showing stronger interest in mobile payments and shopping

A growing mobile population has created high demand for mobile commerce services. These services allow consumers to use their mobile devices to shop for and purchase products online and in physical stores. In the past, technology companies and banks had focused on this sector, offering services that were in high demand among consumers. Now, telecommunications companies are beginning to enter into the payment space, with mobile operators leveraging their connection to consumers to establish a foothold in the mobile payments market.

More Chinese consumers are beginning to connect payment cards with their devices

Currently, China, India, and Indonesia are considered markets where smartphone ownership is growing aggressively. Consumers in these countries are also using these devices to pay for products they are interested in. In China, 16% of consumers have credit cards, with 49% having debit cards. These consumers are connecting these cards to their mobile devices, which is enabling them with the ability to pay for products online and in physical stores in a convenient manner.

Mobile operators have the potential to disrupt the payments space

In the coming years, telecommunications companies are likely to play a larger role in the mobile commerce market. These companies have been feeling pressure to provide consumers with services that make mobile payments possible and some have managed to find success in this regard. These companies will compete with other organizations in the mobile commerce market, however, which has become somewhat bloated due to the lucrative nature of mobile payments services.

Though e-editions of novels looked as though they were starting to dip, they are suddenly rebounding.

The ebook market had been going through a period in which its future was not entirely certain as both the growth of downloads and the purchase of dedicated e-readers had looked as though they were slowing, but these digital editions appear to be rebounding to the point that many authors feel that ebooks have become a required format.

The concept of an ebook had been a tough sell for some time, but it seems that it has now gained mainstream acceptance.

According to Julie B. Campbell, co-author of the popular Perspective book series, ebook editions are no longer a luxury. They’re an expectation from readers. “It used to be that the initial launch of a novel involved the release of a hardcover and then an eventual paperback,” she said. “Now, with the importance of the ebook market, that first hardcover is typically accompanied by a Kindle, Kobo and Nook edition’s availability. They’re even included in the pre-orders before the official release date.”

The ebook market has struggled to reach this point, having faced many controversies and legal battles.

For Campbell and her co-author, Amanda Giasson, there wasn’t any question as to whether or not they would be producing a version of their novels – Love at First Plight and Second Wind – in a format that was compatible with e-readers, tablets and even smartphones. Both the first and second volumes in their series were launched in formats compatible with the leading ebook retailers and they have every intention to continue in that same direction.

“I’d love to say we’re doing it because we have some kind of inside knowledge about the ebook market, but the truth is, we’re just offering our books in the format our readers want. Every author I can think of in our genre – Marissa Mayer, John Darryl Winston, Kiera Kass, Kat Stiles – has released ebook versions of their series.”

Readers appreciate the ease of e-reading. Ebooks can be downloaded immediately upon purchase and can be read wherever they have their mobile devices. Moreover, authors enjoy the opportunity to provide more digital content and media through ebooks that simply cannot be made available in traditional print. “Introducing our readers to our fantasy world of Qarradune also means introducing them to character names and places that they may not know how to pronounce. We’ve recorded the proper pronunciation of these names and have included them on our official website, which readers can easily access with a click or a tap via the link in our ebook.”

The ebook market currently accounts for about 20 percent of the total book industry. According to Amazon’s figures from 2015, indie publishers and self-published authors are gaining the most in terms of revenues, while traditional publishers appear to be among those facing the greatest struggles in this sector.