Tag: mobile commerce market

Mobile payments startups may be no match for PayPal

| August 23, 2013

PayPal continues to dominate the mobile payments field

The mobile commerce sector is rife with competition. The growing popularity of mobile payments of consumers has encouraged numerous startups to emerge, each looking to beat one another in the hopes of gaining consumer support. The problem, however, is that there is already a well established commerce platform that has muscled its way into the mobile sector: PayPal. The company has been involved in mobile payments for years before mobile commerce began gaining significant attention around the world and its presence in the sector may be too much for smaller companies to handle.

Competition may be too much for startups to handle

Consulting firm Crone Consulting LLC suggests that the mobile commerce market has become over saturated. There are numerous startups working against one another to appeal to consumers. Many of these organizations are offering mobile payments processing systems that are fee-free. While this may be attractive for merchants that are reaching out to mobile consumers, the fact that these startups are not making any money off these transactions has created some uncertainty among consumers.

Mobile Payments - PayPalVenture funding may not be an adequate option for mobile commerce startups

Many mobile payments startups are backed by venture funding. When this funding runs out, however, these companies may be unable to generate a profit or cover the costs associated with the services they offer. Some may be forced to begin charging a fee to process mobile transactions, which may lead to an exodus of clients they acquired through the promise of fee-free services. Others may simply close shop because they cannot afford to continue operation. Those that are determined to persist in the market will have to face PayPal, which boasts of $20 billion in mobile payments on a yearly basis.

Companies may find some success by focusing on very small niches in the market

According to a recent study from market research firm Gartner, the mobile commerce market is expected to reach $235.4 billion in global transaction value by the end of this year. The market is expected to see promising growth throughout the near future, a fact that has generated a great deal of encouragement for those interested in entering the mobile commerce field. Startups may find it difficult to find a foothold with giants like PayPal crowding the field, however, which has led some companies to focus on very specific niches in the mobile payments sector in order to find some degree of success and solvency.

Mobile payments set to reach $1 billion in the US

| July 19, 2013

Mobile payments to see strong growth this year

Mobile payments are poised to see explosive growth in the U.S. this year. As more consumers show favor for shopping online using their mobile devices, their proclivity for mobile payments is beginning to show a dramatic increase. A new report from eMarketer, a leading market research firm, suggests that U.S. mobile payments will reach new heights this year and will continue to grow in the near future. Much of this growth is being driven by the focus businesses have been putting on mobile commerce.

Report highlights the future possibilities of the mobile commerce space

According to the report, U.S. mobile payments will surpass the $1 billion mark by the end of 2013. Mobile transactions will be coming from scanning codes with smartphones and tablets, using NFC-enabled devices, and by accessing e-commerce platforms through a device’s web browser. The report predicts that mobile payments will continue to show aggressive growth and account for more than $58 billion by the end of 2017.

Mobile Payments growthMobile payments face many challenges

While the report suggests a promising future for mobile commerce, it also notes that challenges that this sector has been faced with recently. Over the past year, the mobile commerce space has become inundated with a variety of platforms that offer convenient payment support to consumers. While there is no shortage of variety, none of these platforms have yet established a substantial lead over the others. The problem is that most of these platforms compete on a technological level, meaning that they are not universally accommodating to those interested in making mobile payments. The report suggests that the competition that these platforms create will keep growth in check until 2016.

NFC considered a wild card for many

The report also suggests that continued focus on NFC technology could be problematic for the future of mobile commerce. NFC has been subjected to harsh criticisms concerning security and efficiency. While most mobile commerce platforms are based on the technology, eMarketer notes that the technology itself is considered a “wild card” by those investing in mobile payments.