Tag: mobile commerce news

Mobile payments firm raises $6 million in funding

| November 1, 2013

Mobile payments firm gains momentum through Series B funding

Mobile payments firm Flint has managed to fly below the radar through much of this year, but the company has begun attracting significant attention as it makes progress with its mobile commerce endeavors. The firm recently announced support for the Android platform in order to expand the reach of its mobile payments services. This week, Flint announced that it has raised more than $6 million in Series B funding, led by the Digicel Group and SVG Partners. Funding from the Digicel Group may provide some insight on the future of Flint.

Digicel leads Series B funding for Flint

The Digicel Group is not a well known name in the U.S., but is quite prominent in the Caribbean and the South Pacific. The organization operates within the mobile sector and has a strong interest in mobile payments and providing wireless services to consumers. The Digicel Group has, to some extent, become a popular alternative to more conventional telecommunications companies. Both Flint and Digicel share a lot in common, as both companies look to bring new life to the mobile space.

Mobile Payments fundingFlint aims to make mobile payments easier for merchants

Flint was launched in May of 2012 and aims to make it easier for new entrepreneurs to enter into the mobile space and embrace mobile payments. The firm offers services that allow businesses to process mobile payments in a convenient manner and without the need for a dedicated point-of-sale system. Using the Flint application, merchants can scan a consumer’s credit or debit card and process a payment quickly, using a fingerprint to authorize transactions. Flint also offers competitive rates when compared to services offered by similar companies.

Funds will help company expand

The funding that Flint has risen will help the company to improve its various mobile payments technologies. It will also help the company expand its team of developers, which is currently 16 people strong. Much of the company’s future plans are kept secretive, however, which may be a good thing considering the aggressive competition that is common in the mobile payments sector.

Mobile commerce gains strong momentum in the Netherlands

| October 31, 2013

Mobile commerce is favorable for Dutch consumers

Mobile commerce in the Netherlands has begun to gain significant traction. Dutch consumers have become quite enamored with the concept of mobile commerce, largely due to their growing reliance on smartphones and tablets. Consumers are beginning to shop more through their mobile devices, thus leading to an increase in the demand for comprehensive mobile payments services. A new study released by Blauw Research highlights the growth that momentum that mobile commerce has gained among Dutch consumers.

Mobile sales grow 67% in first half of the year

According to the study, mobile commerce in the Netherlands grew by 67% during the first half of this year. Dutch e-commerce is valued at approximately $550 million and mobile sales accounted for 11% of this value. This growth is expected to maintain its momentum well into the future, powered by more consumers putting a greater deal of value on their mobile devices and the mobile-centric services that they use.

Netherlands Mobile Commerce GrowthTablets favored over smartphones

The study shows that tablets are beating smartphones in terms of mobile sales in the Netherlands. Consumers appear to favor tablets because they provide a better shopping experience. Their larger screens enable more convenient navigation and more websites are optimized for tablet use over smartphone use. Notably, 80% of mobile sales, even those made from tablets, were made by consumers at home rather than in physical stores or while outside.

$1 billion in sales expected by the end of 2013

The study predicts that more than 3 million mobile shoppers will be recorded in the Netherlands during the second half of 2013. By the end of the year, mobile commerce sales are expected to reach more than $1 billion. The holiday season is likely to augment these predictions to some degree, especially as consumers begin considering mobile shopping more convenient than other forms of shopping that they have been conducting for the past several years.