Tag: m-commerce

Samsung reveals Galaxy S4

Samsung this week revealed its highly anticipated Galaxy S4, only 9 months after the release of the massively successful Galaxy S III. The Galaxy S4 is packed with several upgrades that make it a bit more powerful than its predecessor, but the new mobile device’s potential use in mobile commerce is attracting the most attention. Like its predecessor, the Galaxy S4 is expected to have a strong focus on mobile commerce, allowing users to make mobile payments and shop online using their device.

New device equipped with Mobeam technology

The Galaxy S4 will be equipped with new technology that has been developed by mobile commerce startup Mobeam. Mobeam has been on the search for partners since it announced the development of its barcode scanning technology for mobile devices. The technology is capable of scanning barcodes, such as QR codes, like simple barcode scanning applications. The technology does, however, provide something new in that it enables point-of-sale scanners to scan barcodes that are presented on the screen of  the Galaxy S4.

Mobeam makes barcodes important again

Mobeam calls the technology “light based communications,” or LBC. This technology works by using the priximity sensors of the Galaxy S4 to beam light pulses that mimic barcode patterns. This allows point-of-sale scanners to register the device’s barcodes. Using Mobeam’s LBC would allow consumers to scan the barcode of a particular product and have this barcode scanned at point-of-sale in order to make a purchase. This could also be used to take advantage of the various price-matching initiatives that several retailers have in place.

Technology could be available for third-party developers in the future

Mobeam’s technology is currently exclusive to the Galaxy S4, but Samsung suggests that it could be available for third-party developers at some point in the future. The technology has some promising implications for mobile commerce, especially as consumers become more interested in making use of QR codes and other such tools.

Keynote is using the company as an example of how some retailers are improving site performance.

The results of the Keynote Mobile Commerce Performance Index for the week that ended on March 10 have been released, and W.W. Granger Inc. topped the list with an exceptional mcommerce performance in both its load time and its successful completions.

These are the two main factors that are taken into consideration by the index when it issues its scores.

During the most recent week of the index, the mcommerce site for W.W. Grainger loaded with an average speed of 4.30 seconds and was able to completely and successfully load 99.46 percent of the time. By combining those two factors, the website earned a score on the index of 938 out of a possible 1,000 points.

The next mcommerce website on the index didn’t load nearly as quickly at almost a full second slower.

HSN Inc., the TV retailer, earned the second place with its 5.23 second load time and its 99.56 percent success rate. Its score was quite close to that of Grainger, at 931. In third place was Barnes & Noble, which loaded within 5.47 seconds and had a 99.46 percent success rate. That company earned a score of 909.

The fourth place position was taken by Toolfetch.com LLC. Its load time was actually far better than that of Grainger, at 3.24 seconds, on average. However, its success rate was 99.02 percent, which brought its score to 895 and held it from achieving one of the top three positions. Target Corp snatched up the fifth spot this week, though its load time was considerably slower than those ahead of it, at 8.36 seconds. Its success rate, however, was better than the company that ranked first, at 99.67 percent. Its score was 871.

Grainger currently holds the 76th position in the Internet Retailer Mobile 400, with HSN at 14 and Barnes and Noble positioned at 31. Toolfetch is currently ranked at 248, while Target has the 34th position.

Over the entire mcommerce index, the average load time for that week was recorded to be 9.67 seconds, while the average success rate was 98.82 percent. The average score among all thirty of the businesses was 701.