Tablets win out in the realm of mobile commerce
Mobile commerce has been growing at a rapid pace around the world. Several industries, including the retail sector, has shown a strong interest in the adoption of mobile commerce because of the opportunities it represents. Most of these industries are focusing their efforts on catering to smartphone users, who are believed to account for the vast majority of the mobile population. While this may be true, smartphone users do not account for the majority of mobile commerce activity.
Adobe research shows that web traffic primarily comes from tablet devices
According to research from Adobe, websites around the world are seeing more traffic from tablets than from smartphones. Adobe researchers tracked more than 100 billion visits to 1,000 of the world’s most popular websites, many of which included e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay, and found that most of this traffic was coming from tablets. Tablets are particular prolific in the United Kingdom, where consumers are more likely to surf the web and even pay their bills online using a tablet device.
Tablets considered more convenient for consumers
Researchers suggest that smartphones are more appealing to consumers when it comes to mobile applications and games. Tablets, however, are more convenient when it comes to actually browsing the Internet. Moreover, tablets can take advantage of conventional website design rather than being forced to access mobile-friendly versions of popular websites. This is a benefit for some in the mobile commerce sector as they do not need to design services that are designed solely for smartphones.
Mobile commerce may cater to tablet users in the future
Adobe research shows that consumers are more likely to spend more time on a website using their tablet than a smartphone. Smartphones are favored for short, quick visits to websites, whereas tablets are more accommodating to those that enjoy a longer experience. Mobile commerce may be moving into a realm where tablets are winning out over smartphones. Adobe expects that mobile commerce among tablets will continue to grow in the coming years.
Widespread adoption of mobile commerce has yet to be seen
Commerce is changing all over the world, largely due to the advent of mobile technology. Smart phones and tablets had once been considered simple tools to make some aspects of life more convenient for consumers. These technologies have come to inhabit a very important role in society, providing millions of people all over the world with entertainment, organization, access to information, and even a new way to pay for products. Mobile commerce has risen from the importance that mobile technology has established in the lives of consumers, but it has yet to become mainstream.
Consumers show interest in mobile payments, but adoption is still low
Mobile commerce is a relatively new trend in the mobile world. It refers to a consumer making purchases using a mobile device or engaging in other financial services, such as banking. The concept is simple enough and consumers all over the world have shown strong interest in mobile commerce. Much of this enthusiasm has yet to become tangible support, however, as many consumers show that they are interested but unwilling to participate in mobile commerce. There are several factors that contribute to this apparent reluctance.
Poor experiences may dissuade consumers from using mobile commerce services
ForeSee, a marketing analytics firm, suggests that some of the lack of support for mobile commerce being shown by consumers is due to poor experiences with e-commerce platforms. Because most e-commerce platforms were designed before mobile technology became such a widespread phenomenon, they are not optimized to be used on a mobile device. This leads to significant problems when these platforms are accessed by smart phones and tablets, creating a poor experience for consumers. Even platforms that are optimized for mobile viewing suffer from speed problems, making mobile payments very slow and unintuitive for consumers.
Singapore and Hong Kong show most growth in mobile commerce
Because of the problems consumers have been experiencing, mobile commerce has found only moderate success in many parts of the world. The only markets that mobile commerce has seen significant success in are in Asia. According to a report from Neilson, which was commissioned by PayPal, Singapore and Hong Kong have seen the most growth in mobile commerce than any other market in the world. This is partly due to the strong focus on mobile technology that businesses in these markets have, as well as the high number of mobile consumers that live in both regions.
