Tag: nfc technology

Vodafone tests mobile commerce platform in New Zealand

| September 11, 2013

Test launch of mobile commerce platform begins in New Zealand

Vodafone, a global telecommunications organization, is one of several companies in its industry that have been showing aggressive interest in mobile commerce. Consumers are becoming more involved in mobile technology, leading to a growing demand for a more convenient, tech-savvy form of commerce. Vodafone has been working to position itself as a leader in the mobile commerce sector by meeting this demand with its SmartPass platform. The company has recently begun a pilot test for the platform in Auckland, New Zealand, before an international launch later this year.

SmartPass leverages the power of NFC technology

The SmartPass is based on NFC technology and leverages NFC in order to facilitate mobile payments. The technology is quite common in the mobile commerce sector, forming the backbone for the majority of other platforms that could be considered competitors to SmartPass. The platform was developed with the help of Visa, which also has a vested interest in mobile commerce. The pilot launch of the platform is meant to expose consumers to mobile commerce and provide merchants with an effective way to engage mobile consumers.

Mobile Commerce VodafoneNFC-enabled devices still rare among consumers

Vodafone expects the pilot launch to last at least two months, hoping to solve some of the undiscovered issues that the SmartPass may have during that time. The company is aware of the low availability of NFC-enabled devices in the consumer market, but does not anticipate this to be a significant problem. SmartPass, like other NFC-based mobile commerce platforms, can only be used by NFC-enabled devices. These devices are becoming more common, but many consumers have shied away from mobile commerce because they are unwilling to purchase a new, expensive smartphone or tablet just to be able to make a mobile payment at a physical store.

SmartPass to function as mobile wallet

The SmartPass is not only able to facilitate mobile payments, of course, as it is also designed to function as a sort of digital wallet. The platform is capable of storing a variety of financial information that could be used by consumers at any given time. Like other platforms, SmartPass is also expected to keep track of special offers that consumers receive from merchants and the brands they are interested in.

Mobile commerce sales could reach $25 billion in the US by end of 2013

| September 2, 2013

Study highlights mobile commerce prospects in the US

Leading analytics and market research firm comScore has released a new study concerning mobile commerce sales in the U.S. The study suggests that mobile commerce is making strong progress in the U.S. over sales recorded in 2012. Consumers seem to be showing a great deal of interest in mobile payments because of the convenience that they represent. This interest is being stoked by retailers that are adopting mobile commerce systems. More of these systems have also been showing up throughout the country, providing consumers with a variety of options when it comes to mobile shopping.

$10 billion in sales surpassed during first half of 2012

According to the study, mobile commerce sales in the U.S. could reach $25 billion by the end of this year. Sales have already surpassed $10 billion during the first half of the year and the momentum mobile commerce has generated has yet to show signs of dissipating in the near future. comScore notes that mobile commerce sales reached approximately $20 billion by the end of 2012.

Mobile Commerce SalesSmartphones account for majority of sales

The study shows that smartphones still account for the lion’s share of mobile payments. More money was spent by tablet users on a per user basis, however. Many consumers have expressed their favor for tablets in for mobile shopping over smartphones. This may be due to the fact that tablets feature larger screens that make it easier to navigate the shopping experience.

NFC dependence limits mobile commerce adoption

The U.S. is quickly establishing itself as a major mobile commerce market. Unfortunately, most mobile commerce services are still based on NFC technology, meaning that only NFC-enabled devices can make use of these services. NFC-enabled devices are still relatively rare in the U.S., limiting the number of people that can participate in mobile commerce. Moreover, no single mobile commerce service has yet managed to establish a major following among U.S. consumers.