Who will emerge as a leader in mobile payments is not clear
Mobile payments are beginning to disrupt traditional forms of commerce as more consumers begin to rely more heavily on the smartphones and tablets. These devices have made it exceedingly convenient for consumers to purchase products and services either online or in-store. As mobile payments become more prolific, the mobile commerce market is beginning to brim with competition. Several countries and companies have invested heavily in this market, but it is not entirely certain who will emerge as the dominant force within this industry.
Report shows that consumers are eager for new mobile commerce services
BI Intelligence, a market research and analysis firm, has released a new report that offers insight on mobile payments and those that are leading the way in the current market. According to the report, much of the mobile commerce world is driven by what consumers want. Consumer demand, for instance, has lead to the development of mobile payments platforms that can be used both online and at physical stores. Approximately 52% of consumers wanted such platforms, which are likely to become significantly more available in the coming years.
Singapore among the top countries ready to embrace mobile payments
The report suggests that companies like Square and PayPal are likely to thrive in the coming years, largely due to their very early adoption of mobile payments. Both Square and PayPal have a heavy focus on the mobile space, making them more attuned to the demands coming from consumers than their competitors. In terms of countries, Singapore is considered to have the most mobile commerce “readiness,” with the U.S. and the United Kingdom boasting of average readiness.
US and European consumers are not fully accepting of mobile commerce
While companies could see significant progress in the realm of mobile commerce in the coming years, consumers have yet to be fully won over by mobile payments. BI Intelligence notes that only 10% of consumers in the U.S. and Europe participate in mobile payments. Many are willing, but concerns regarding security are keeping most consumers tethered to traditional forms of commerce.
eBay has high hopes for mobile commerce
Online retail giant eBay believes that mobile is leading a revolution in the commerce sector. According to eBay, this revolution will change the way consumers purchase and search for products around the world. This week, the retailer has unveiled a new three-year growth strategy that has a heavy emphasis on mobile commerce. eBay expects mobile commerce to play a major role in its future business and is working to ensure that it is as accommodating to mobile consumers as it can possibly be.
eBay and PayPal experience heavy activity in the mobile space
eBay has already experiences strong performance in the mobile commerce sector through itself and its subsidiary PayPal. Where eBay is concerned, more consumers are opting to use their smartphones or tablets to shop for products. These consumers are also more apt to purchase products from their mobile device rather than from a PC. PayPal has been reporting a growing number of transactions being made from mobile devices, whether they involve purchasing products or transferring money from one account to another. This activity has built up eBay’s confidence in the mobile commerce sector.
Mobile commerce expected to reach $300 billion by 2015
By 2015, eBay expects global mobile commerce to reach the $300 billion mark. The company notes that this will translate into revenue growth of 50% or more by the end of 2015. Mobile commerce will be behind much of the growth that eBay is expecting to see over the next three years and the retailer estimates that it will be able to beat out its competitors in its given industry. Amazon, which is eBay’s only major competitor, has also been showing strong interest in mobile commerce. Whether eBay will be able to overcome Amazon may depend largely on the mobile commerce plans of the latter.
Consumer interest powering mobile commerce growth
eBay suggests that mobile commerce is becoming more important for consumers as they become more comfortable with the concept. As more consumers get their hands on smartphones and tablets, they are becoming increasingly exposed to the prospects of mobile commerce. As such, they are becoming more likely to purchase products and shop with their mobile devices than they have ever been in the past few years.
