Tag: mobile commerce retail industry

Japan sees strong growth in mobile commerce

Mobile commerce is growing quickly in Japan. Consumers in many of the country’s largest cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka, are beginning to favor shopping on their mobile devices. These consumers had already been heavily exposed to e-commerce and the world of online shopping, making the transition to mobile commerce significantly easier. According to the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, mobile commerce grew by 16.2% in 2011 and continues to grow as more consumers become comfortable with the notion of purchasing products with their smartphones and tablets.

Fashion sector sees major boost from mobile sales

Mobile commerce has had a dramatic impact on several sectors of the retail industry, but Japan’s fashion sector has been seeing the majority of this impact in recent months. Zozotown, one of the country’s leading fashion retailers specializing in e-commerce, reports that it has seen no less than 40% of its sales come from mobile devices in 2012. Rakutan, another Japanese e-commerce company, notes that 30% of its sales have come through mobile commerce over the same time frame.

New companies showing strong interest in Japanese mobile commerce

The growing proclivity among Japanese consumers when it comes to mobile commerce has lead to something of a surge in mobile commerce applications. Many organizations recognize the growth of mobile commerce in Japan as a powerful opportunity and have been working to introduce new applications and mobile payments platforms to the country in recent months. New capital has lead to the emergence of new startups that aim to be the next big name in mobile commerce and this has lead to a marked increase in the competition that exists in this particular field.

Small companies may be unable to compete with larger companies

While more competition can be good for consumers, it is not necessarily good for businesses. Startup company’s may have high ambitious, but whether or not they will be able to compete with much larger companies that have already established a strong presence in the mobile commerce sector has yet to be seen. So far, consumers appear to favor the platforms supported by larger companies they are more familiar with than those coming from largely unknown organizations.

Nordstrom has launched digital storefronts to accommodate mobile shoppers.

Long-time American fashion retailer Nordstrom has stood the test of time again and again due to the company’s fashion-forward thinking, and is now readying itself for a mobile commerce future.

Mobile technology could pave the way for a new digital shopping world.

Mobile commerce is becoming more prominent in the retail market, not just in terms of online shopping but in-store shopping, as well. With more and more consumers using smartphone devices, Nordstrom, one of the oldest department stores in the U.S., has every intention of appealing to the interests of these tech savvy consumers, now and in the future.

The next 30 years will be about appealing to the interest of consumers, in which mobile commerce will play a large roll.

If merchants want to please customers, they’ll need to stay on top of the latest trends, do what they can to predict the desires of consumers and satisfy them. According to Blake Nordstrom, the president of Nordstrom and the great-grandson of the company’s founder, John W. Nordstrom, although retailing will be different in the future, “there still will be customers who desire fresh new product. What that product is, how we satisfy the customer, that’s open.”

What will the future of retail look like? Nordstrom believes that aside from a more digital shopping experience that may include parametric technology that can provide consumers with a good idea of the way clothing may look and fit on their particular body type, without them having to try it on, current cash registers will no longer be around.

Instead, he says, “We see the future of point-of-sale as completely mobile.” Where the actual shopping takes place won’t matter so much as time goes on. Nordstrom believes that shoppers will use the most convenient platform to conduct their shopping. This will make it very important for mobile commerce to be implemented in-store.

Retail analysts foresee a big change in purpose for brick and mortar stores. Instead of their current role, they will provide a more sensory focused experience. Customers will physically interact with the items they are interested in purchasing, which they can buy remotely and have these products shipped.

Mobile commerce technology continues to be upgraded and developed and Nordstrom is ready to embrace a smartphone-friendly retail future.