Tag: mobile shopping

Results from a recent study are showing that content and shopping will rise in African countries.

The outcomes of an MEF study have revealed that industry leaders in the three participating countries feel that mobile commerce and content are on their way up, and that this channel will experience a strong future.

This is particularly true among the study participants in Kenya who expect considerable revenue growth.

One in three respondents to the African Growth Market Study, which examined mobile commerce and content, stated that end-user revenues over this channel have risen by a greater amount than had been anticipated, last year. This revealed considerable optimism for the future of the market, though it was not surprising to many who have already been witnessing some of the most rapid growth in m-banking and money transfers among smartphone users in the world.

The insight from the study also went on to identify some of the influence of m-payments in mobile commerce.

Within the studies, it was revealed that the main source of end-user revenue was made up of 30 percent mobile commerce, 37 percent social networks, but also a very large 53 percent m-banking.

For this reason, beyond mobile commerce, mobile payments are being seen as a substantial opportunity. The growth in this sector is being seen as the largest and fastest, currently estimated at 87 percent. This is followed by marketing over this channel. As the adoption of smartphones rapidly grows in this region and businesses build their confidence in it – and shrink their confidence in traditional downloadable content such as games and ringtones – other broader areas are starting to take off.

The CEO of MEF, Rimma Perelmuter, discussed the mobile commerce report by saying that it “provides an industry-wide snapshot on mobile activity and opportunities in Kenya today as part of our regional roadmap of activities, following the launch of our dedicated MEF Africa office in association with Vodacom in late 2012. Kenya is a market of great interest to our members and as the study clearly demonstrates a showcase for success, particularly in mobile money.”

The mobile commerce survey was supported by Nation Media Group and was conducted by MEF, along with KPMG

Visa Europe and Telecom Italia partner for new mobile payments venture

Telecom Italia and Visa Europe have entered into a new strategic partnership in order to boost mobile payments throughout Italy. Both companies have shown a major interest in mobile commerce and have been working to break into this field for some time. Mobile commerce, however, is quite competitive and is filled with technology, telecommunications, and financial service firms that are all trying to grab the attention of consumers. It is for this reason that strategic partnerships are becoming more common in the mobile commerce sector.

Consumers show strong interest in mobile commerce

Italian consumers have been showing a strong interest in mobile payments. This is partly due to the convenience that mobile commerce represents. Shopping and purchasing products from a mobile device has become quite common among consumers that frequently travel and this trend has not gone unnoticed by Visa Europe and Telecom Italia. Both companies have, therefore, been working to develop new mobile payments services that will be available to an estimated 31 million people across Italy.

NFC-based service may not be popular with consumers

Visa Europe intends to reduce the use of physical currency at point of sale. The new service is meant to provide consumers with more security with their transactions. The service is, however, based on NFC technology, which means that only NFC-enabled mobile devices can take advantage of its features. This may be problematic, as NFC-enabled devices are still somewhat rare among European consumers. New NFC-enabled smartphones are expected to be launched in Italy in 2014, however, which may help resolve this issue.

Mobile payments expected to gain momentum from the holiday season

Mobile payments have been gaining more attention throughout Europe, especially as consumers look for more convenient ways to shop. With the holiday season fast approaching, it is expected that record numbers of people throughout Europe will be using their mobile devices to purchase products online and at physical stores.