The Big Issue In The North adopts new sales model to help homeless street vendors
The Big Issue In The North is a magazine in the United Kingdom with a business model that stands out. The magazine is sold in a traditional fashion, but not by vendors that own and operate newsstands. The Big Issue In the North is sold throughout the United Kingdom by homeless street vendors who rely on the jobs provided by the magazine for a steady income. The magazine recently announced that it will be launching a digital edition, which could threaten the sales of many of its homeless vendors.
INSP turns to QR codes to keep vendors in the loop
More magazines are opting to go digital as a way to keep up with the changing interests of consumers. Many of these magazines have been struggling to cope with the advent of mobile technology, with some faring far better than others. The Big Issue In The North believes that the time is right to make the transition from physical media to digital, but is unwilling to shirk its responsibility to the country’s homeless community. As such, the International Network of Street Papers (INSP), the non-profit group that owns and operates the magazine, is taking steps to ensure that homeless street vendors have a chance to continue working.
QR codes used to sell magazines in the UK
The non-profit group has turned to QR codes in order to solve this problem. The digital edition of The Big Issue In The North will begin being sold on October 29 and can be purchased through the scanning of a QR code. In this way, INSP believes that street vendors will still be able to make a modest living through sales of The Big Issue In The North.
INSP slates pilot project for magazine in US
QR codes are well known as effective marketing tools and have been used to engage a wide range of consumers around the world. INSP, which owns and operates publications in several countries, is planning a pilot project of another one of its magazines — StreetWise — in Chicago using the same sales method as it is using in the UK.
EnStream works to make mobile commerce in Canada secure
EnStream, a mobile solutions provider based in Canada, has reached a deal with Research In Motion (RIM), creators of the BlackBerry platform, concerning a new system that could make mobile commerce in Canada more secure. In 2009, EnStream, which is comprised of Canada’s three largest telecommunications companies, introduced the Zoompass mobile payment platform. The platform enables consumers to use their smart phones to pay for goods and services. As mobile commerce becomes more popular, security concerns are threatening to derail mobile payments in Canada, thus RIM has been tapped for its acclaimed security technologies.
RIM technology will help EnStream create new services
Through this new deal, EnStream will be able to make use of RIM’s Secure Element Manager, a system that will allow the company to manage the credentials of NFC-enabled smart phones in Canada. This move comes after EnStream finalized the sale of Zoompass to Paymobile, thus opening up the companies resources for the development of a new mobile commerce platform that may be better suited for the latest generation of NFC-enabled mobile technology. Backed
by RIM’s technology, the company may be able to help bring more security to mobile commerce in Canada.
Security continues to be serious concern for consumers
Security is one of the most significant problems facing mobile commerce today. Consumers have shown interest in the concept of their mobile devices doubling as payment platforms, but have also expressed extreme concern regarding the safety of their financial information. Security faults with NFC technology and the fact that many mobile commerce platforms can be easily exploited by hackers has caused some turmoil in the burgeoning industry. EnStream believes that bringing more security to the industry may also provide it will more stability.
EnStream to bring mobile payment services to MTS customers
EnStream has also signed an agreement with Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) to bring its mobile payment technology to MTS customers by 2013. Once these services have successfully been incorporated into the MTS network, customers will be able to make purchases for goods and services using EnStream’s technology, as long as they have NFC-enabled mobile devices.
