Tag: china

Mobile commerce competition heats up in China

| March 12, 2014

Tencent and Alibaba are beginning to compete more aggressively for the favor of mobile consumers throughout China

China has become a battlefield when it comes to mobile commerce competition. Two of the country’s largest companies, Tencent and Alibaba, have a longstanding rivalry with one another when it comes to engaging consumers. Both companies are beginning to focus on the mobile space more heavily as well. While Tencent has held a strong presence in the mobile space for some time, Alibaba is beginning to threaten that position by promoting and supporting mobile commerce throughout China.

Firm predicts the future of the mobile payments market in China

Internet consultancy firm iResearch has released a forecast concerning the mobile commerce market in China. According to the forecast, the market is expected to reach nearly $300 billion by 2017, with more than half of online payments being made from a smartphone or other mobile device. Mobile payments will likely continue growing in popularity as more people gain access to the mobile Internet. The popularity of mobile payments has encouraged companies like Tencent and Alibaba to embrace the mobile commerce sector more aggressively.

Tencent powers ahead with its WeChat application and new services

Mobile Commerce Competition Heats UpTencent recently launched a new service for merchants through its WeChat application. The service allows merchants to accept mobile payments through the application, thereby enabling them to become more engaging for mobile consumers. Alibaba has its own mobile payments platform called Alipay, which has managed to accommodate more online transactions than both eBay and Amazon combined. These applications are poised to compete aggressively with one another, but Chinese consumers have yet to show their favor for one over the other.

Tencent may have what it takes to attract the support of China’s merchants

Tencent is expected to have an edge with merchants that are looking to get involved in the mobile space. WeChat is one of the most popular applications in the world and is quite well known in China. The popularity of this application among consumers may be enough to convince merchants that it is the best platform for their mobile commerce interests.

 

China is a hotbed for mobile commerce activity

| March 3, 2014

Survey highlights the growth of mobile shopping in China and elsewhere

MasterCard has released the results of a new survey concerning mobile commerce in China. Consumers throughout China have been growing more interested in shopping from their mobile devices and are beginning to use their smartphones and tablets to purchase products more often. Many consumers consider mobile shopping to be very convenient and ideal for their current circumstances. This is especially true among people that commute often as mobile commerce allows them to purchase products from wherever they are and have these products delivered to their homes.

Nearly 100% of Chinese respondents have made a mobile purchase in the past three months

According to the survey from MasterCard, mobile commerce has been growing quickly throughout the Asian-Pacific region. Thailand, South Korea, and India boast of impressive results when it comes to the number of people participating in mobile shopping and payments. The survey shows, however, that nearly 100% of the respondents in China have said that they have made at least one online purchase from a mobile device in t he past three months. Approximately 59% of these consumers noted that they made a purchase with a smartphone.

Retailers help power the growth of mobile shopping

Mobile Commerce Activity - ChinaThe survey attributes the growth of mobile shopping in China to the efforts that several retailers have made to engage mobile consumers. Alibaba and Tencent, for example, have launched aggressive campaigns to attract the attention of these consumers. Using their Alipay and WeChat applications, these companies have managed to establish a dominant position in the mobile field. Smaller retailers have also been working to accommodate the needs of mobile consumers by embracing mobile payments more readily.

China is likely to retain its lead as a prominent mobile commerce market

China is expected to be a leading mobile commerce market well into the future, followed closely by Thailand and South Korea. As smartphone penetration continues to rise throughout the Asian-Pacific region, the number of people shopping online from their mobile devices is expected to continue growing. Tablets are also beginning to establish a reputation among consumers in this region as one of the best mobile shopping platforms currently available.