Report highlights the impact that mobile payments are having on digital retail
Mobile payments are gaining momentum in China. According to a new report from Forrester Research, the country is becoming one of the most active and fastest growing mobile commerce markets in the world. The report notes that e-commerce spending is on the rise, powered by the growing number of people that are using their mobile devices to shop online and make purchases. By 2019, the Chinese online spending space is expected to reach more than $1 trillion.
Companies may benefit from more mobile commerce activity
This may be good news for companies like Alibaba and Tencent, which have become heavily involved in the mobile payments space. Both companies are currently vying for dominance among mobile consumers, with Alibaba holding a lead. Online retailers have been enjoying the growth in digital spending, as they have managed to find new ways to engage consumers in an effective manner.
China is the largest online retail market
China is currently the world’s largest online retail market. In 2013, more than $307 billion in online sales were made throughout the country. According to Forrester Research, more than $440 billion is expected to have been made in online sales during the last year. The growing prevalence of mobile payments services is making this growth possible. Many payment firms have begun to emerge in China, looking to support the adoption of mobile commerce and make this sector more accessible to consumers. The country’s banks have also begun supporting mobile payments.
Mobile payments are expected to become more common and better supported in the coming years
In the coming years, China will likely continue proving itself to be a promising mobile commerce market. New mobile applications that support transactions are likely to become more common and consumers are expected to rely more on the Internet when they are shopping for products. As such, retailers are expected to place more focus on the mobile and digital spaces in the hopes of connecting with consumers that exist therein.
Alibaba unveils plans to support retail sector that may have implications for mobile commerce
Alibaba, China’s largest online retailer, has unveiled plans to revolutionize the country’s e-commerce sector. Commerce throughout China has been changing in recent years, driven by the growing number of people that are beginning to rely heavily on their mobile devices. The emergence of mobile commerce has encouraged many companies within China to take the mobile space more seriously, and Alibaba intends to utilize the momentum that mobile commerce has generated to make drastic changes to the e-commerce scene.
Company to invest $16 billion in support for the e-commerce sector
Alibaba intends to invest some $16 billion in logistics and support to the e-commerce field through 2020. The company believes that this investment will help open up China to hundreds of millions of new customers, which could eventually translate into higher revenues for online retailers throughout China. E-commerce is expected to account for a fifth of all retail sales in China within the next 5 years and many of these sales will come from those making purchases from mobile devices.
Mobile commerce is growing in China
Mobile commerce has been gaining momentum throughout China, but few retailers have yet to embrace the mobile space. Support from Alibaba may help retailers become more accommodating of mobile consumers, developing websites and other services that are optimized for mobile use. While Alibaba is not solely focused on mobile commerce, the support that it is bringing to the retail industry may help retailers engage mobile consumers more effectively.
Lack of security could slow growth of mobile commerce
There are risks when it comes to the expansion of mobile commerce. Identity theft and other types of fraud are becoming more common within the mobile space with every passing day. Without adequate security measures, the growth of mobile commerce is expected to be sluggish among consumers that are concerned for the safety of their financial information. Security concerns are also prevalent in the e-commerce sector, where consumers are leery of platforms they are not familiar with.
