Amazon continues to work on its mobile presence
Amazon is beginning to gain momentum when it comes to mobile commerce. The company has already established a strong presence in the mobile space. As of June 2013, approximately 57% of the retailer’s user accessed Amazon with a mobile device. With the launch of Amazon’s Login and Pay service in October of 2013, the company has seen more mobile activity. Amazon is expected to find even more momentum in the mobile field as it continues to develop various mobile-centric initiatives.
Company may seek to bring a point-of-sale solution to physical retailers
As Amazon’s mobile interests continue to gain traction, the company may have plans to bring a point-of-sale solution to physical retailers during the summer of this year. This solution would leverage the Kindle device as a checkout platform. The device would be equipped with a card reader that is similar to platforms offered by PayPal and Square. This would allow consumers to make purchases in a more efficient manner than if they used traditional checkout methods. This solution would also accommodate mobile commerce.
Amazon may opt to birth its own mobile commerce platform in the future
Amazon boasts of over 224 million credit cards that are linked to consumer mobile devices that use the Amazon application. These people have been accessing Amazon to purchase products directly from their mobile devices fairly regularly and this may serve as encouragement for Amazon to develop its own mobile commerce platform. The company’s Login and Pay system is meant to make it easier for consumers with Amazon accounts to pay for products, but this service may also be a precursor to a future mobile commerce platform.
Amazon remains dubious concerning its plans for the mobile space
The company is somewhat notorious for being secretive with its future endeavors. Amazon has expressed strong interest in mobile payments, but has been elusive when it comes to the matter of how it will tackle mobile commerce in the future. Currently, a significant portion of mobile shoppers make use of Amazon on a daily basis, giving the company a strategic advantage if it does decide to break into the mobile commerce space more aggressively.
Company has plans to continue adapting to changes in the mobile world
T-Mobile has offered mobile devices to U.S. consumers for several years. The company has competed with others in the telecommunications sector by providing nearly identical services that consumers have either fund to be of little value or too expensive for their taste. As the mobile landscape has changed, however, T-Mobile has been positioning itself to play a larger role in the lives of its customers, both current and future. The company has done away with the service contracts that are common among its competitors while also offering to pay the termination fee associated with these contracts for anyone wishing to find a new mobile service provider. Now, the company is looking to establish a stronger presence in the mobile commerce field.
T-Mobile seeks to expand beyond Isis
T-Mobile has already entered into the mobile commerce space through Isis. Along with AT&T and Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile has invested heavily in the Isis platform, which has managed to acquire the support of most of the country’s major financial organizations as well as consumers. While Isis boasts of a great deal of promise, T-Mobile has plans that extend beyond that platform. The company has recently unveiled its Mobile Money service, which seeks to provide consumers with a new way to manage their finances.
Mobile Money service is available for free to T-Mobile customers
The Mobile Money service combines the use of a mobile application with a branded, prepaid Visa card. The service has no fees associated with it and provides consumers with a way to pay for products using their mobile device or a branded card. The service also allows consumers to add money to their prepaid Visa card by taking a picture of a check. The card itself can be used to withdraw funds from more than 42,000 ATMs located throughout the country. All of the service’s features have no fees and there is no minimum balance requirements associated with the branded Visa card.
Mobile commerce begins to play a bigger role in the lives of consumers
T-Mobile has plans to establish itself as a leader in the mobile field, and this involves establishing a stronger presence when it comes to commerce. In the past, the mobile space was primarily concerned with communication. As technology has advanced, however, consumers have begun using their mobile devices for shopping and managing their finances. T-Mobile is keen to adapt with the changes occurring in the mobile sector so that it can remain relevant to consumers.
