Category: Mobile Commerce

New report highlights mobile commerce and evolving Internet trends

| March 6, 2013

Mobile Commerce ReportReport sheds light on the evolution of the Internet and mobile commerce

comScore, a leading Internet analytics company, has released the latest edition of its annual report detailing emerging Internet Trends. The 2013 U.S. Digital Future in Focus report sheds light on how the Internet is changing and how these changes are affecting the way it is used by consumers. Notably, the Internet is becoming more mobile, due to the widespread proliferation of smartphones and tablets, as well as the expanding availability of high-speed mobile networks that facilitate a constant connection to the Internet. Mobile commerce is also featured in the new report.

Consumers beginning to favor mobile search

According to comScore, consumer search behavior is changing. General purpose search engine queries declined by 3% from 2011 to 2012, with the number of consumers moving toward vertical search sites and mobile search applications growing. Consumers are becoming more direct with their searches, as well, focusing on things that are more specific to their interests, such as finding restaurants that serve a particular type of food rather than just restaurants in general.

Mobile everything is becoming more important

The report shows that the mobile Internet is becoming more important. Smartphones now outnumber feature phones for the first time in the history of mobile technology. Digital media is beginning to migrate away from favoring desktop computers to catering to the needs of mobile consumers. Online companies are beginning to address the demands of mobile consumers by providing them with mobile commerce services, engaging them in mobile marketing campaigns, and providing them access to new applications that make it easier to find the products and information they are interested in.

Mobile commerce adoption is accelerating

The report highlights the growing interest consumers are showing in mobile commerce as well. The concept of mobile commerce has proven attractive for many because of the convenience it conveys. comScore notes that the adoption of mobile commerce is accelerating and may soon come to dominate the mobile space. The report also suggests that mobile commerce will have a profound impact on traditional brick-and-mortar stores in the future as consumers begin to favor online shopping.

Mobile payments gain ground in the US

| March 5, 2013

U.S. Mobile PaymentsLevelUp reports growing interest from consumers concerning mobile payments

Mobile payments are gaining momentum in the U.S. More consumers are becoming attracted to the concept of mobile commerce, especially as new services become available to them. LevelUp, a mobile payments start-up, has been attracting a great deal of attention recently, reporting a major influx of new users coming from both the Android and iOS camps. Rising demand for mobile commerce services has sent many consumers scouring the online world looking for platforms like LevelUp.

LevelUp doubles user base

LevelUp has announced that its user count has doubled over the past four months, growing from 500,000 to 1 million users. The start-up provides mobile payments services based on the use of QR codes. The LevelUP application is capable of scanning these codes to instigate transactions from a mobile device. The start-up also offers a mobile commerce terminal system to merchants that allows them to process payments being made from a mobile device. On its surface, LevelUp appears to be no different from any other mobile payments platform, but it has taken measures to enthrall consumers with its various features.

Gamifying mobile payments pays off

LevelUp is unlike other mobile payments platforms in that it “gamifies” mobile commerce, effectively turning loyalty programs into interactive experiences. Users are able to unlock loyalty credit with their favored brands through the LevelUp platform. This approach rewards consumers that spend money through their mobile device, further encouraging them to do so in the future. The loyalty credits offered through LevelUp can be redeemed for discounts and other rewards from a consumer’s favored brand.

Interest in mobile commerce expected to continue growing

Mobile payments are becoming more prolific as more consumers get their hands on high-end smartphones and tablets. LevelUp is one example of the promising growth being seen in the mobile commerce sector. The start-up expects to see this growth continue well into the future, as consumers become more comfortable with the concept of paying for goods and services with their mobile devices rather than with physical currency.