Tag: india

Report highlights mobile commerce in Asia

| October 7, 2013

Asian markets show promise for mobile commerce

International market research firm yStats has released a new report concerning electronic and mobile commerce in Asia. Asian markets have become very attractive in terms of mobile commerce due to the rising adoption of smartphones and tablets. Consumers are becoming quite reliant on these devices and are showing enthusiasm when it comes to shopping online and making purchases directly from their devices. The report, titled “Asia B2C E-Commerce Report 2013,” aims to shed light on the evolution of commerce throughout Asia.

Internet access helps boost online sales

The report notes that Internet use in countries like Japan, China, and South Korea continues to rise at a rapid rate. As more consumers gain access to the Internet, they begin to shop online more frequently. The expansion of mobile networks is also giving consumers access to the Internet from their smartphones and tablets, exposing them to a wide range of mobile commerce services. Consumers in these countries have been showing favor for mobile shopping over more traditional forms of shopping. The report notes, however, that countries like Laos, Indonesia, Nepal, and India are falling behind when it comes to Internet access. While these countries can be considered valuable markets, the potential of mobile commerce in these countries is somewhat limited.

Asia Mobile CommerceJapan and China considered prominent markets for mobile commerce

Japan is currently considered one of the most promising markets when it comes to mobile commerce. Tech-savvy consumers often use their mobile devices for just about everything in Japan and it is becoming increasingly common for retailers to focus exclusively on those with mobile devices. China is also showing strong growth on the mobile commerce front as more people gain access to smartphones and tablets. In terms of e-commerce, China is expected to see a 30% increase in online sales by 2016.

Online sales in India account for less than 1% of retail sales

A rise in Internet use is often tied to an increase in online sales. In countries where Internet access can still be considered a luxury, online sales are quite low. In India, for example, online sales account for less than 1% of all retail sales. The country is still considered a promising market for mobile commerce, however, due to the fact that mobile technology is becoming much more common among consumers throughout the country.

New mobile games launched in India

| September 4, 2013

Bharti SoftBank launches its first mobile games

Bharti SoftBank, a joint venture between India’s Bharti Enterprises and Japan’s SoftBank, has begun its foray into the world of mobile games. This week, the company launched two mobile games that are targeted at a general demographic that has exhibited interest in such games in the past. The two games, called Songquest and Shiva: The Time Bender, are currently available on the Google Play store. Bharti SoftBank expects to have a total of five games in its portfolio by March of next year.

Company takes aim at young consumers

Like other game developers and publishers, Bharti SoftBank is taking aim at young consumers. This particular demographic has shown a strong interest in mobile games and most of these young people have mobile devices of some kind. Bharti SoftBank’s current goal is to capture approximately 10% of the 12 million smartphone users that exist in its chosen market.

India Mobile GamesGames to include microtransactions

The games released by the company are free to play and are currently only available for the Android platform. These games will be made available for other platforms in the near future in order to engage a wider audience of mobile consumers. Like other free mobile games, those offered by Bharti SoftBank will allow players to purchase additional features in-game. This will be how these games generate revenue, but the company will have to find a balance between its in-game transactions and the content it offers for free lest it alienates consumers.

Companies show more interest in mobile games

Mobile games have become quite popular in India and other parts of the world. These games have also become a very lucrative sector for the global game industry. Large development studios and publishing companies are becoming more involved in the mobile sector in order to take advantage of the popularity of these mobile games. Consumers, however, have shown concerns that many of these games are nothing more than cash grabs from these companies, citing an obsessive focus that companies seem to have on in-game purchases.