Tag: mobile payments

NFC-based mobile commerce shows signs of life

| May 6, 2013

Mobile Commerce NFCReport highlights growing mobile commerce initiatives

The Mercator Advisory Group, a market research and analysis firm, has released a new report concerning global mobile commerce initiatives. The report, titled “Global Mobile Retail Payment Initiatives 2013,” aims to shed light on NFC-based mobile commerce and how it is being used in the retail industry. NFC technology has long been a pillar of the mobile commerce field and the technology continues to see strong support in several industries despite the security and efficiency concerns that surround it.

NFC continues to receive criticism

The report notes that there are a growing number of pilot projects concerning NFC-based mobile commerce emerging around the world. In the telecommunications sector, companies responsible for the making of smartphones and tablets are beginning to give their new devices NFC capabilities in order to accommodate the interests that consumers have in mobile commerce and close proximity data sharing. While the report shows that NFC technology is seeing strong progress around the world, the technology continues to be criticized by several of the companies and organizations that are most involved in mobile commerce.

Mobile security concerns surround NFC technology

NFC technology is used to facilitate mobile transactions. This is done by transmitting a consumer’s financial information. This information can be intercepted with relative ease or otherwise stolen from a mobile device by exploiting the capabilities of NFC technology. Companies like PayPal, which has a strong interest in mobile commerce, suggest that NFC technology is simply not secure enough to keep a consumer’s financial information safe. Moreover, the technology may not be adequate of supporting a massive mobile commerce network, leading to efficiency problems.

Small retailers show strong support for NFC-based mobile commerce

While NFC technology may be receiving some dubious attention, the technology is showing promising signs of adoption from small retail businesses. These businesses do not have the same financial clout of their larger counterparts, but must still accommodate the interests of consumers. As such, mobile commerce is gaining ground with these retailers, and NFC technology has been the best solution available to them.

Mobile commerce continues to see explosive growth

| May 5, 2013

Mobile Commerce Explosive GrowthMobile commerce is showing no signs of slowing down

The explosive growth of mobile commerce has yet to show any signs of slowing down. Retailers and other companies are beginning to take mobile commerce very seriously, investing in this burgeoning industry and introducing new mobile shopping services to consumers. While mobile commerce has attracted a great deal of attention, many brands and retailers are still wondering how to take advantage of the aggressive growth being seen in the sector.

Critical mass of mobile consumers contributes to growth

A new report from BI Intelligence attempts to highlight the most significant reasons why mobile commerce is growing so quickly. The report suggests that one of the most prominent of these reasons is the critical mass of mobile consumers. Mobile devices are more available today than they have ever been in the past, which means that more consumers are purchasing and using such devices. The advent of mobile technology has lead to the emergence of new games and other forms of entertainment and productivity, but it has also sparked a shift in commerce.

Experimentation in marketing helps attract more consumer attention

Another factor contributing to the growth of mobile commerce is brands and retailers experimenting with mobile trends. These groups are beginning to put product catalogs and digital coupons to use in order to attract consumers to their e-commerce initiatives. These initiatives have proven somewhat popular among those with mobile devices, and many of them have demanded the ability to purchase products using these devices rather than traditional computers.

Young consumers may be a boon for mobile commerce

According to BI Intelligence, demographics are playing a big role in the growth of mobile commerce. The firm suggests that nearly 50% of those between the ages of 12 and 17 use their smartphones as their primary Internet device. These young consumers are regularly browsing the Internet and have proven themselves to be susceptible to advertisements and other marketing campaigns designed to attract them to e-commerce sites.