Tag: mobile commerce news

Mobile commerce accounts for 32% of all retail sales in the UK

| March 6, 2014

Mobile shopping has seen strong growth in the United Kingdom

IMRG Capgemini, a prominent retail industry association, has released a report highlighting the growing popularity of mobile shopping in the United Kingdom. Many consumers in the UK have begun to use their smartphones and tablets to shop online for products that they are interested in. These people also purchase these products directly from their mobile devices, taking advantage of discounts and other deals being offered by retailers. As mobile shopping becomes more prominent throughout the country, many UK retailers are evolving to accommodate a mobile-centric audience more effectively.

Consumers are showing favor for shopping for and purchasing products from their mobile devices

According to the report, mobile purchases now account for 32% of all online sales in the United Kingdom. Consumers have become quite comfortable with the concept of mobile commerce and have shown favor for the convenience that it represents. The report shows that the majority of mobile purchases have to do with apparel and fashion, but many people also use their mobile devices to shop for and purchase electronics and other sorts of products.

Tablets may become the dominant mobile shopping platform

UK Mobile Commerce - Retail SalesAn estimated 70% of the United Kingdom’s populace currently owns a smartphone or tablet. As mobile commerce becomes more popular, many consumers are reporting that tablets offer a more enjoyable shopping experience. Approximately 12 million tablet devices were sold in the United Kingdom in 2013 and many retailers are beginning to fashion their mobile commerce initiatives to cater to tablet devices specifically. Tablets may soon become the most favored mobile shopping platform, but smartphones currently boast of that honor.

Consumers remain concerned over the security of mobile commerce

While consumers have shown their eagerness to participate in mobile commerce, they have also expressed serious concerns. The majority of these concerns have to do with the security of their financial information. Mobile commerce, as a whole, is still quite new. This can mean that retailers and other groups participating in the sector have not yet come to fully understand the security issues that exist in this field.

Kakao Talk may beat WhatsApp on mobile commerce as well as gaming

| March 5, 2014

WhatsApp has serious competition in regards to Kakao Talk

Popular mobile messaging application WhatsApp has attracted a great deal of attention recently due to its acquisition by Facebook. The prominent social network spent $19 billion to purchase the application and has been working to incorporate the application into its overarching social structure. WhatsApp already boasted of a large user base but with Facebook’s backing, this user base is expected to grow exponentially in the future. While WhatsApp may become more popular in the months to come, it does have a competitor that could destabilize its growth.

Application aims to leverage mobile commerce to gain support

Kakao Talk is another messaging application that has become very popular in Asia. The application has more than 133 million registered users in South Korea and is currently preparing launch an initial public offering being valued at more than $2 billion. What Kakao Talk may offer that WhatsApp does not is the ability to allow users to participate in mobile commerce. Using the application, people can connect with brands more effectively, taking advantage of special deals being offered by retailers and online merchants.

Mobile gaming supported through Kakao Talk

Mobile Commerce News Packs PunchKakao Talk also boasts of a gaming feature. Mobile gaming has become quite a lucrative aspect of the game industry as a whole. Providing consumers with a platform that has strong social interaction features and that can support mobile games could help Kakao Talk surpass WhatsApp in terms of popularity. Similar platforms have managed to find success with type of approach. The WeChat application, which had initially been a messaging app, is now on its way to becoming one of the most prominent mobile commerce platforms in the world.

Demand for mobile services is on the rise

As people become more reliant on their mobile devices, the demand for comprehensive mobile services is growing. While applications that are meant to serve a single purpose are likely to remain popular well into the future, people are beginning to show more interest in applications that can serve multiple purposes at the same time. These applications have shown that they are able to accommodate the interests of a new generation of mobile users.