Tag: e-commerce

E-commerce start-ups facing troubling investment climate

| November 27, 2012

 

E-Commerce Mobile Commerce Investment StrugglesE-commerce business losing traction with investors

Black Friday has passed and that has left many retailers preparing for the remainder of the holiday season. While Christmas still looms, Black Friday was the most important day for the retail industry. Now that that day has passed, retailers can enjoy some mild relief before gearing up to engage consumers again in December. Mobile commerce helped make this year’s Black Friday a major success, and the growing popularity surrounding the concept has lead to many start-up e-commerce businesses being formed. Investors have seen the potential of these start-ups and some are suggesting that they are overvalued.

Mobile commerce continues to spark new businesses

Over the past 18 months, mobile commerce has sparked the founding of several e-commerce platforms that had promised to provide innovative service to consumers and niche markets. Many of these platforms received a proverbial tidal wave of investments that helped them reach their target audience. Unfortunately, most of these platforms failed to meet the expectations of investors, thus yielding modest returns at best. The lackluster performance of some platforms has not stopped the formation of new e-commerce businesses, however. Finding investments may soon become difficult for these start-ups.

Failed e-commerce ventures create unease among investors

Though the e-commerce sector shows promising growth, investors have seen a string of failed online retail ventures from groups like Facebook, Zynga, and Groupon. Smaller companies that promised major returns were unable to deliver, thus making many investors leery of e-commerce ventures and those that revolve around mobile commerce. Former eBay executive Dana Stalder, who is now a partner at Matrix Partners, an investment firm focused on software and communications companies, suggests that there is “inflated valuations” concerning e-commerce ventures.

Capital-intensive business may find lack of support

Stalder notes that most e-commerce businesses are complex and require significant capital to operate. Inventory and shipping costs make it difficult for new businesses to reach a large audience. Even with financial backing, these businesses can easily spend more than they make, thus making them less lucrative for investors. Many of these companies have created an uneasy investment climate for the online retail industry, which could make it exceedingly difficult for new e-commerce start-ups to find the backing that they need.

Mobile commerce tipping point approaches with holiday season

| November 23, 2012

 

Mobile Commerce Holiday SeasonE-commerce and mobile commerce expected to see major growth during holiday season

E-commerce is set to see major growth in the wake of the 2012 holiday season. The growth of e-commerce is due to many factors, such as the expansion of mobile commerce services, early online deals, rising ownership of mobile devices, and free shipping offers becoming more common. More consumers are relying on their mobile devices for shopping and research. As such, e-commerce platforms and sites are expected to see a significant amount of traffic that could show just how viable mobile commerce really is.

ComScore predicts promising results for e-commerce

According to ComScore, an international analytics firm, online sales are expected to grow by as much as 18% in the U.S. during the 2012 holiday season. Last year, e-commerce broke spending records for the holiday season by accounting for $37.2 billion in sales, according to the firm. This trend is expected to become more pronounced this year due to the lengths many retailers have gone to cater to mobile consumers and provide them with the services they need.

Wal-Mart and others continue catering to mobile consumers

Wal-Mart is one such retailer. The company is expecting to see more than 600 million online visitors during the holiday season, a 13% increase from the traffic it saw last year. The retailers has adopted a strong mobile commerce focus, hoping to appeal to tech-savvy consumers that rely heavily on their mobile devices for shopping and product research. Wal-Mart is also among the many retail companies that are offering special offers earlier than normal, hoping to get a jump start on Black Friday, the most important day of the year for the U.S. retail industry.

2012 holiday season may prove how powerful mobile commerce can be

E-commerce is not expected to diminish in the wake of the holiday season. As retailers see major gains through their mobile commerce initiatives, they are expected to through more support behind platforms that cater to mobile consumers. Indeed, the 2012 holiday season may mark a tipping point for mobile commerce, and e-commerce in general, as retailers and other see just how powerful mobile engagement can actually be in terms of business.