Tag: amazon

Amazon expands micro-transactions service

| January 25, 2013

Amazon mobile gamingAmazon expanding digital services for the game industry

Internet retail behemoth Amazon has begun expanding its digital services into the game industry, with a particular focus on mobile gaming. The Amazon Digital Games Store has become a very promising marketplace for such games, giving developers yet another avenue through which to find success in an increasingly crowded market. Amazon has announced the activation of micro-transactions through in-app purchases for the games that are part of the company’s digital store.

In-app micro-transactions will receive more support from Amazon

Mobile game developers often rely on micro-transactions to generate some kind of profit with their titles. Most mobile games are either available for free or for a very small price, making their ability to generate revenue through initial purchase very limited. In-app micro-transactions are seen as the best way for these games to find commercial success, as the majority of these transactions are very inexpensive, thus making them more attractive to gamers.

Company expands services to PC, Mac, and web-based games

The Amazon Digital Games Store has had the ability to facilitate in-app micro-transactions for some time, but Amazon has been disinclined to fully support the service across all gaming platforms. The service has typically been reserved for mobile games for the iOS and Android platforms, but Amazon has begun expanding its availability to PC, Mac, and even web-based games. Amazon expects that expanding its service to these platforms will help game developers build their businesses and reach new audiences.

Developers relying heavily on micro-transactions

Game developers often create games for a wide variety of platforms in order to engage the largest number of people possible. This can be a costly endeavor because of the fundamental differences that exist from platform to platform. Micro-transactions therefore take on a greater importance for developers, as they not only represent a way for a studio to generate profit, but also recover from the costs associated with game development.

eBay continues to pursue mobile commerce

| January 9, 2013

ebay mobile commerceMobile commerce becoming more popular with eBay

E-commerce and mobile commerce are gaining momentum and capturing the attention of consumers around the world. As smart phones and tablets become more common, consumers are looking for new ways to shop and purchase products. The more popular mobile commerce becomes, the more companies that emerge looking to establish their hold on the market. They may be unable to compete with those that have long been in the online retail space, however, such as eBay.

Analysts expect eBay to make a major push for mobile commerce in 2013

eBay has come to embrace mobile commerce in a major way. The online retailer saw major results from its mobile commerce initiatives during the 2012 holiday season. These results have helped encourage the company to continue its pursuit of establishing itself as a dominating force in the mobile commerce sector. Analysts from Canaccord Genuity suggest that eBay will continue to see promising results in mobile commerce as online shopping models become more efficient and optimized for mobile consumers.

eBay may soon compete with Amazon

Analysts suggest that eBay will see significant growth, especially in terms of the stock market, in 2013 because of the company’s focus on mobile commerce. Consumers have long been interested in purchasing products online, but have largely been restricted to their PCs. The advent of mobile technology and mobile commerce allow consumers to shop for products wherever they are. Analysts suggest that eBay currently boasts of the most robust mobile commerce services in the retail sector, which could put it in line to compete with Amazon.

Retailers expected to clash in the future

Amazon has also been showing extreme interest in mobile commerce. The company has long been at the head of the e-commerce race, but eBay is quickly becoming a major competitor. Both companies are expected to clash in the mobile commerce arena, with the victor being decided by the company that offers the most intuitive and efficient mobile commerce services to consumers.