Tag: mobile transactions

Relatively few consumers are using their mobile devices to purchase products online and in physical stores

Mobile payments has become a powerful force in the retail sector, but many consumers remain loyal to conventional forms of commerce. During the holiday season, many retailers saw a significant increase in the number of mobile shoppers they served, but number of mobile consumers was lower than what many companies had been anticipating this year. According to data from Bankrate, only 14% of smartphone owners in the United States actually used their device to make a mobile payment during the Thanksgiving shopping weekend.

28% of smartphone owners made a mobile payment during 2015

Information from the Federal Reserve also highlights the relatively sluggish activity being seen in the mobile payments space this year. According to the agency, only 28% of smartphone users made a mobile payment throughout 2015. Mobile payments were particularly popular among millennials, who have become quite comfortable with mobile technology in general. Older consumers have been slow to embrace mobile payments, largely due to security concerns and basic disinterest.

Security continues to be a major problem for the mobile payments space

Security has been a cause for concern within the mobile payments space for years. Many consumers have expressed worry that their financial information could be at risk if they make a mobile payment. Retailers and companies responsible for mobile payment platforms have been working to ensure consumer information is kept safe, but sophisticated cyber attacks has made this a relatively difficult endeavor to accomplish. In order for mobile payments to thrive, security measures must be improved, ensuring that the financial data of consumers is guarded against exploitation.

More consumers are expected to make a mobile transaction as new services become available

While the mobile payments sector may have seen relatively slow growth during this year’s holiday season, stakeholders in the growing market expect to see more robust growth in 2016. Next year, promising new mobile payments platforms are expected to enter into new markets, where they will find a consumer base that is willing and eager to use their mobile devices to make purchases.

The smartphone and consumer electronics manufacturer has now entered into the rapidly growing market.

In a market already rapidly filling up with Apple Pay, Android Pay and other large names of mobile payments options, LG has now unveiled its own option after having partnering with South Korean credit card companies KB Kookmin Card and Shinhan Card.

The companies have worked together to create a smartphone based payment system that will first launche in South Korea.

While the mobile payments service will be available exclusively in South Korea at its initial launch, it is unclear as to whether or not the service will move to an international market. At the moment, no date has been set for taking that kind of step outside the country.

There are currently many different types of technologies being used in order to complete payment transactions through the use of mobile devices. The two giants, Apple Pay and Android Pay, have both based their services on near field communication (NFC technology). At the same time, Samsung is using magnetic secure transmission (MST) that is comparable to the magnetic strip on a credit card.

LG mobile payments have not yet announced the type of technology that it will be using to complete transactions.

A growing number of retailers are starting to update their point of sale terminals in order to be more compatible with some of the top technologies being used for payments through mobile devices. It is likely that LG will choose a more established technology in order to ensure that it will be able to be compatible with the point of sale devices that are already in place now that its predecessors have paved the way for the use of mobile technology at the checkout counter.

The mobile payments space is one that has seen considerable controversy over the last few years as many believe in it, while others feel that it will never take off in the mainstream. A new study conducted by Research Now indicated that 51 percent of consumers would prefer to use a wallet app issued by their own financial institution as opposed to a third party such as Apple Pay, Android Pay or LG Pay. The next years will clearly be defining within this sector of the tech market.