Tag: mobile commerce news

The favorite apps are those that simplify retail purchasing, such as those that guide the in-store process.

The results of a new study by Parks Associates have now been released and have shown that over one in four shoppers of consumer electronic products in the United States who have broadband capable devices use mobile commerce apps on their smartphones in order to help them to make a purchasing decision.

They use a number of different features from these applications to help them to decide what is best.

Among the favorite mobile commerce app features, said the report, were functions for product research, QR code and barcode scanning, as well as apps that provide interactions with brands and the retailers themselves. The report on the research was published by Parks Associates under the title “Mobile Commerce: Keys to Mass Adoption”.

Forty three percent of American smartphone owners used mobile commerce to help buy a product in September.

Consumers – particularly those that shopped at Best Buy, Walmart, and Target – were also noted to be beginning to use their smartphones to make purchasing decisions via mobile commerce channels while they are actually in the stores. These three brands all encourage their shoppers to use their own apps while they are within their stores. According to Parks Associates, it is Target shoppers that are most likely to use these applications while they are looking to purchase a consumer electronics product.

According to a Parks Associates senior analyst, Jennifer Kent, “Consumers are using apps and smartphones to enhance their brick-and-mortar shopping experience, with Target shoppers emerging as the most enthusiastic app users.” She also stated that “Our research shows 54% of Target shoppers used at least one mobile commerce app while shopping in a store for CE, while only 38% of Walmart shoppers did the same.”

The analysts behind the mobile commerce report suggested that all retailers begin to embrace the smartphone friendly experience – both with their own apps and third party products – as a method of providing consumers an enhanced overall shopping experience, as well as a front line defense against losing sales to showrooming.

Executives envision a promising future for mobile commerce

The future of mobile commerce is beginning to become a prominent subject around the world. People everywhere are beginning to rely more heavily on mobile technology in the daily lives, which is leading to a growing demand for comprehensive mobile commerce services. Executives from some of the leading companies in the mobile commerce sector have begun offering some insight into what the future may hold for the mobile space and for commerce in general.

Retailers are beginning to develop their own technology

Richard H Harris, CEO of payment technology pioneer Ensygnia, claims that retailers and vendors will play a major role in determining how individuals interact with the world around them. Retailers have begun to take matters into their own hands by developing their own technology and software as a way to engage consumers that are becoming increasingly mobile. Much of this technology is taking the form of mobile commerce platforms, which allow consumers to pay for products with their mobile devices. These platforms are also being equipped with social networking tools as well in an attempt to increase dynamic interact between consumers and businesses.

Mobile commerce could change the way consumers interact with businesses

Sam Shrauger, head of digital for developed markets at Visa, claims that mobile commerce and technology will become a more integrated part of daily life. Shrauger envisions a not-too-distant future wherein consumers can walk into a restaurant and their meal is waiting for them at their table, having ordered the meal from their mobile device in advance. Similar occurrences may be seen in the retail sector as companies work more closely together to take advantage of mobile commerce.

Technology is becoming more mobile-centric

Carey Kolaja, vice president of global solutions management with PayPal, notes that loyalty programs and point-of-sale systems targeting mobile technology have advanced more in the past year than they have in the past decade. The momentum growing behind the mobile space is likely to propel mobile commerce to new heights, especially as more consumers gain access to smartphones and tablets and wearable technology moves from science fiction to reality.