Report shows that Europe has become a hotbed for mobile payment and shopping activity
Idealo, a price comparison service based in Germany, has released a new report that highlights mobile commerce in Europe. The report has compiled information from 50 of Idealo’s partners across 6 European countries. The information involves mobile site traffic, the design of mobile shopping sites and applications, and the use of mobile commerce applications. The report shows that the United Kingdom, in particular, is seeing a great deal of activity when it comes to mobile shopping and payments.
United Kingdom leads the way in mobile shopping, with many retailers offering mobile-centric services and support
The report suggests that consumers in the United Kingdom have the greatest advantage when it comes to mobile commerce. Some 86% of shops in the country support mobile payments in some way, either physically or digitally. Many of these stores have websites that are optimized for mobile use and offer mobile applications that offer rewards to those that use them regularly. As such, the United Kingdom is leading the way in mobile commerce activity.
Other European countries fall behind due to the slow adoption of mobile commerce among retailers
France and Spain are also seeing a great deal of activity in their mobile space. Approximately 74% of the retailers in both countries are supporting mobile shopping. In other European countries, such as Germany, Italy, and Poland, mobile shopping is not yet fully supported. Some retailers have been slow to embrace the concept of mobile commerce because of concerns regarding security or the belief that mobile shopping is nothing more than a novelty that will loss popularity in time.
Despite progress, the mobile shopping space is still faced with many challenges that could be difficult to overcome
While mobile commerce is making progress in Europe, there are still many challenges to overcome. One of the most significant challenges has to do with how mobile websites are built. These websites are vital to engaging mobile consumers, but few retailers are designing responsive sites that provide consumers with a favorable experience. A poor experience can drive people away from mobile commerce.
Visa Europe and Telecom Italia partner for new mobile payments venture
Telecom Italia and Visa Europe have entered into a new strategic partnership in order to boost mobile payments throughout Italy. Both companies have shown a major interest in mobile commerce and have been working to break into this field for some time. Mobile commerce, however, is quite competitive and is filled with technology, telecommunications, and financial service firms that are all trying to grab the attention of consumers. It is for this reason that strategic partnerships are becoming more common in the mobile commerce sector.
Consumers show strong interest in mobile commerce
Italian consumers have been showing a strong interest in mobile payments. This is partly due to the convenience that mobile commerce represents. Shopping and purchasing products from a mobile device has become quite common among consumers that frequently travel and this trend has not gone unnoticed by Visa Europe and Telecom Italia. Both companies have, therefore, been working to develop new mobile payments services that will be available to an estimated 31 million people across Italy.
NFC-based service may not be popular with consumers
Visa Europe intends to reduce the use of physical currency at point of sale. The new service is meant to provide consumers with more security with their transactions. The service is, however, based on NFC technology, which means that only NFC-enabled mobile devices can take advantage of its features. This may be problematic, as NFC-enabled devices are still somewhat rare among European consumers. New NFC-enabled smartphones are expected to be launched in Italy in 2014, however, which may help resolve this issue.
Mobile payments expected to gain momentum from the holiday season
Mobile payments have been gaining more attention throughout Europe, especially as consumers look for more convenient ways to shop. With the holiday season fast approaching, it is expected that record numbers of people throughout Europe will be using their mobile devices to purchase products online and at physical stores.
