The mobile commerce sector may yield the next multi-billion dollar startup.
These startups are somewhat rare, but tend to emerge in technology fields that are rife with competition yet have a great deal of consumer activity. There have been numerous mobile applications that have proven to be quite valuable over the years, and some of these apps are very simply in their offering of particular services and features. The mobile commerce space is currently filled with skilled developers and business professionals that are constantly producing innovative solutions.
Exactly what the next multi-billion dollar startup will be is difficult to say for certain. There are many factors that influence the mobile space and determine whether or not a startup will be successful. A startup can do everything in its power to comply with market trends and engage consumers successfully but still fail to find any traction in the mobile world. Startups that ignore market trends can sometimes find significant degrees of success as well. There is no decisive formula to follow when working to succeed in the mobile commerce world.
Because there is currently an extreme level of competition in the mobile commerce space, there is a great deal of potential for this sector to produce the next massively successful startup. Innovation thrives in competition and innovative startups are often rewarded with consumer attention. Large companies, like Facebook and Google, are often on the lookout for startups that are creating something new and engaging. These large companies tend to either invest in these startups or acquire them outright.
It could be years before a massively successful startup emerges in the mobile commerce world. Many startups are finding it difficult to overcome the security issues that are related to mobile payments. These organizations are also falling prey to other problems, including NFC technology failing to generate traction with some consumers and businesses, as well as growing tensions with larger organizations t hat are working to establish dominance in the mobile space.
PayPal continues to dominate the mobile payments field
The mobile commerce sector is rife with competition. The growing popularity of mobile payments of consumers has encouraged numerous startups to emerge, each looking to beat one another in the hopes of gaining consumer support. The problem, however, is that there is already a well established commerce platform that has muscled its way into the mobile sector: PayPal. The company has been involved in mobile payments for years before mobile commerce began gaining significant attention around the world and its presence in the sector may be too much for smaller companies to handle.
Competition may be too much for startups to handle
Consulting firm Crone Consulting LLC suggests that the mobile commerce market has become over saturated. There are numerous startups working against one another to appeal to consumers. Many of these organizations are offering mobile payments processing systems that are fee-free. While this may be attractive for merchants that are reaching out to mobile consumers, the fact that these startups are not making any money off these transactions has created some uncertainty among consumers.
Venture funding may not be an adequate option for mobile commerce startups
Many mobile payments startups are backed by venture funding. When this funding runs out, however, these companies may be unable to generate a profit or cover the costs associated with the services they offer. Some may be forced to begin charging a fee to process mobile transactions, which may lead to an exodus of clients they acquired through the promise of fee-free services. Others may simply close shop because they cannot afford to continue operation. Those that are determined to persist in the market will have to face PayPal, which boasts of $20 billion in mobile payments on a yearly basis.
Companies may find some success by focusing on very small niches in the market
According to a recent study from market research firm Gartner, the mobile commerce market is expected to reach $235.4 billion in global transaction value by the end of this year. The market is expected to see promising growth throughout the near future, a fact that has generated a great deal of encouragement for those interested in entering the mobile commerce field. Startups may find it difficult to find a foothold with giants like PayPal crowding the field, however, which has led some companies to focus on very specific niches in the mobile payments sector in order to find some degree of success and solvency.
