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Mobile payments are growing slowly

Consumers are showing concern for the security and capabilities of mobile payments services

Mobile payments are growing quickly, but consumers are still not convinced that new payment technology will take hold. According to a new survey from Trustev, many consumers are still concerned about the security issues that exist in the mobile payments space and they are not certain that using a payment platform is in their best interests. As such, many have been slow to embrace mobile payments platforms, even if these platforms offer secure and convenient services.

Survey shows 1 in 50 iPhone 6 owners use Apple Pay regularly

according to the survey from Trustev, only one in 50 of the people that own an iPhone 6 actually make use of Apple Pay, Apple’s new mobile payments service, on a regular basis. The platform was released late last year and has managed to find some traction with consumers, but it has yet to become a commercial success. One of the reasons consumers are not showing aggressive interest in mobile payments may be a confidence issue.

Lack of confidence in mobile payments services is leading to low adoption among consumers

Mobile Payments - SlowIn the past, companies releasing new payments services have shown relatively little confidence in these services, which has had a significant impact on consumer adoption. Consumers have expressed concerns over modern payment services as well and this lack of confidence may be making mobile payments, as a whole, unattractive to consumers. Security is another issue that mobile payments faces, and security concerns are beginning to drive consumers away from new payment services.

Payment fraud is a major issue that organizations in the mobile payments field must worry about

Payment fraud is becoming a major concern for those involved in the mobile payments space. According to Chargeback911, payment fraud caused approximately $32 billion in financial damage in the United States in 2014. This is a 38% increase over the damage it had caused in 2013. Fraudulent payments are not restricted to the conventional commerce place, of course, and the mobile payments sector also faces the danger that fraud represents.

MCX plans to test mobile commerce platform in Ohio

MCX will be testing CurrentC among large retail partners in Ohio

The Merchant Consumer Exchange (MCX) is planning to begin testing its new mobile commerce platform, CurrentC, among its large retail partners in Ohio. MCX was established as a partnership among several large retailers, including Target and Walmart. These retailers had taken note of the rise in mobile shopping and have felt the need to engage consumers more effectively. As such, MCX was tasked with developing a mobile commerce platform that would serve this purpose.

Test may determine the launch of the new mobile commerce platform

Ohio will host the first major test of the new mobile commerce platform. The service will allow retailers to support mobile payments being made by customers. Those with smartphones will be able to use the service to make transactions directly from their device. The platform itself has been in development for some time, with the retail partners of MCX showing some impatience when it comes to waiting for a service they can use. Based on the test results in Ohio, CurrentC may see a limited launch next year or within the coming months.

Retailers are beginning to seek out other platforms they can use

Mobile Commerce Platform being tested in OhioInitially, MCX partners has agreed not to support any other mobile commerce platform while they waiting for CurrentC to be released. This agreement is set to expire within the coming week, however, which will allow retailers to embrace other platforms, such as those coming from Google, Apple, and Samsung. Being able to embrace other platforms will provide retailers with a way to effectively engage mobile consumers, but it may be bad news for CurrentC, which has already struggled to maintain the support of retailers.

Security remains a primary concern for those interested in mobile commerce

One of the issues facing mobile commerce as a whole is security. Many retailers have shown concern for the security of consumer financial information when they are participating in mobile commerce. Creating secure platforms has proven somewhat complicated, however, as methods to exploit these platforms have been growing more sophisticated.