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eBay sees major promise in m-commerce

| December 13, 2012

 

eBay m-commerceeBay expects m-commerce to become a major tool for the retail industry

Last month’s Thanksgiving shopping weekend has provided mobile commerce with a huge amount of credibility, especially among retailers that have been looking to engage mobile consumers in a dynamic way. Indeed, that single shopping weekend may have provided mobile commerce with enough momentum it needs to become the most preferred tool of the retail industry. eBay, one of the world’s largest online retail entities, believes that mobile commerce is reaching the point where it may replace more traditional forms of commerce and even e-commerce itself.

Mobile business growing exponentially

Steve Yankovich, vice president of mobile for eBay, recently spoke with CNBC concerning the growth of mobile commerce. According to Yankovich, mobile growth has significantly exceeded the company’s expectations. Four years ago, mobile commerce was little more than an idea. Now, eBay expects to see mobile sales on its eBay Mobile platform exceed $10 billion within the next few years.

Convenience may be a major driving factor behind m-commerce

The key to the success of mobile commerce may lie in the convenience of the concept. Consumers are becoming increasingly reliant on their mobile devices to function in daily life. As this trend picks up momentum, consumers are beginning to look for ways to turn their smart phones and tablets into payment platforms for the sake of convenience. A mobile device can, with the proper software, serve as a type of digital wallet, storing a consumer’s financial information, coupons, tickets, and other such virtual items in a singular space. This allows consumers to access all this information quickly and efficiently.

Competition on the horizon

The success of mobile commerce does not mean clear sailing ahead for eBay or the other companies that are investing heavily therein. Companies are expected to begin heavily competing with each other for a significant share of consumers that are interested in mobile commerce. eBay has a decent head start thanks to its PayPal unit, but Google and Isis are expected to begin appealing to more consumers as time goes on.

CVS takes steps to increase mobile commerce presence

| December 13, 2012

 

CVS Mobile Commerce Website UpdateCVS introduces mobile commerce updates to mobile site and application

CVS Caremark Corp. is looking to bolster its mobile commerce presence by making updates to its website and mobile application. Mobile commerce continues to attract the interest of the retail industry, especially in the wake of a record breaking Thanksgiving shopping weekend. This year, retailers have seen massive growth in the realm of mobile sales thanks to the interest consumers have been showing in mobile commerce. CVS hopes to take advantage of this by reaching out to mobile consumers in a more dynamic fashion.

Mobile site features new services for consumers

CVS has made updates to its mobile website, which now features a variety of options that are designed to help consumers keep track of their health. The company has introduced an immunization scheduler, which helps users keep track of when they can receive immunization treatments from health care professionals that visit CVS stores. Users can set up appointments for specific immunizations through the mobile site. CVS has also introduced a number of shopping enhancements that are meant to help mobile consumers find the products they are interested in.

Electronic gift cards may be big during the holiday season

Another feature that has been introduced to the mobile website are electronic gift cards. These digital cards can be purchased from the mobile website and used from a smart phone or other device to pay for goods online. These cards can be given as gifts to others, delivered via email. CVS anticipates the sale of these gift cards to skyrocket during the holiday season, especially among consumers that rely on CVS for the health care products they need, such as glucose meters for those with diabetes.

CVS may have plans to adopt in-store mobile payments in the future

CVS has also introduced several new features into its mobile application, such as a pill identifier that will help users identify the pills they are taking. The mobile application also includes several shopping features that encourage consumers to purchase products through their mobile device and online. CVS has yet to adopt in-store mobile payments, but if mobile commerce continues to grow in popularity, this service may be on its way.