Mobile commerce is beginning to blend with marketing
Mobile technology is beginning to have a major impact on marketing and commerce around the world. Consumers are beginning to rely more heavily on their smartphones and tablets, allowing them to participate in commerce in new ways and experience advertising in a way they never have before. A new report from the Yankee Group aims to highlight the affects that mobile technology is having on these two fields. The report addresses the emerging trends that are being seen in the mobile commerce and mobile marketing arenas.
Report highlights the poor performance of loyalty programs
According to the report, some 40% of consumers make use of some kind of mobile shopping application or mobile coupons. While consumers are interested in shopping apps and coupons, the mobile loyalty programs that exist today are not having the impact on consumers that brands are hoping for. The report suggests that brands will have to take the mobile space more seriously if they want their loyalty programs to succeed in the future.
Mobile marketing beginning to play a bigger role with larger companies
The report also notes that mobile marketing is beginning to play a major role with large companies. These companies have taken note of the increasing importance of mobile technology and have been making moves to engage consumers in a new way. These companies have also been showing strong interest in mobile commerce, and some have begun to introduce marketing elements into their mobile commerce applications in order to better engage consumers.
Mobile commerce set for rapid evolution in the future
The report suggests that mobile commerce is set to evolve at a rapid pace. That is to say that mobile commerce may operate in a different fashion than it does today. New regulations and business practices could make mobile commerce more convenient for consumers. The report suggests that the further integration of marketing, as well as social networking, with mobile commerce is likely to continue well into the future.
Language proves to be a hurdle for mobile commerce
Mobile commerce has managed to make major progress in the U.S. and Japan, but in Europe, mobile commerce has met with significant challenges that extend well beyond issues concerning security and efficiency. Language and infrastructure have proven to be the most complicated problems faced by the mobile commerce sector in Europe. Both the U.S. and Japan enjoy universal e-commerce markets due to the fact that both countries have a predominant language. Europe, however, is filled with countries that have very different languages from one another, making it difficult to create a universal mobile commerce ecosystem.
Universal market in Europe has yet to take form
European countries tend to be homes to national markets that do not synergize well beyond the boundaries of the countries they take form in. Such markets are meant to appeal to those that live in particular countries, of course, but this tends to create some division when it comes to universal commerce. For instance, those from countries where English is not a prominent language could have trouble participating in mobile commerce in countries like the United Kingdom, where most commerce services are based on the English language.
Europe 500 aims to solve the language problem
In order to address this issue, Europe 500, a conglomeration comprised of many large European companies, has begun to leverage its various investments to provide better localization to e-commerce sites in various countries throughout the European Union. This is expected to help make it easier for consumers to participate in mobile commerce no matter where they are in Europe by providing them with services that are based on their native language.
Localization is a costly venture for some
Making mobile commerce universal is no small task. Europe 500 is comprised of many companies, some of which have heavily invested in mobile commerce in the past. Despite the apparent interests that these companies have in mobile commerce, localization and bolstering infrastructure is not an inexpensive task. Many companies may be inclined to continue supporting national markets in an effort to save money.
