Mobile commerce is favorable for Dutch consumers
Mobile commerce in the Netherlands has begun to gain significant traction. Dutch consumers have become quite enamored with the concept of mobile commerce, largely due to their growing reliance on smartphones and tablets. Consumers are beginning to shop more through their mobile devices, thus leading to an increase in the demand for comprehensive mobile payments services. A new study released by Blauw Research highlights the growth that momentum that mobile commerce has gained among Dutch consumers.
Mobile sales grow 67% in first half of the year
According to the study, mobile commerce in the Netherlands grew by 67% during the first half of this year. Dutch e-commerce is valued at approximately $550 million and mobile sales accounted for 11% of this value. This growth is expected to maintain its momentum well into the future, powered by more consumers putting a greater deal of value on their mobile devices and the mobile-centric services that they use.
Tablets favored over smartphones
The study shows that tablets are beating smartphones in terms of mobile sales in the Netherlands. Consumers appear to favor tablets because they provide a better shopping experience. Their larger screens enable more convenient navigation and more websites are optimized for tablet use over smartphone use. Notably, 80% of mobile sales, even those made from tablets, were made by consumers at home rather than in physical stores or while outside.
$1 billion in sales expected by the end of 2013
The study predicts that more than 3 million mobile shoppers will be recorded in the Netherlands during the second half of 2013. By the end of the year, mobile commerce sales are expected to reach more than $1 billion. The holiday season is likely to augment these predictions to some degree, especially as consumers begin considering mobile shopping more convenient than other forms of shopping that they have been conducting for the past several years.
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.
