Tag: retail industry

Mobile commerce becoming dominant in US retail

| May 19, 2013

U.S. mobile commerce gaining ground in retailConsumers begin growing more interested in mobile commerce

Consumers are becoming increasingly mobile. That does not mean that they are moving around more often; it means that mobile technology is beginning to play a very important role in their daily lives. This trend has become most apparent in the shopping behavior of consumers, who are beginning to rely more heavily on their smartphones and tablets to make purchases. Mobile commerce is on the rise, and it may soon replace traditional retail due to the convenience it offers consumers.

Report shows that consumers are spending more time on mobile shopping

comScore, a leading market research firm, has released a new report titled “State of the U.S. Online Retail Economy Q1 2013.” As the name suggests, the report details the trends that exist as well as those that are emerging in the retail industry of the U.S. The report shows that mobile commerce has begun gaining significant momentum as more consumers begin to favor their smartphones and tablets for shopping online.

Mobile shopping has become an overwhelmingly popular pastime

According to the report, the time that consumers spent in online retail rose by 104% in February of this year over the levels it had been in February of 2010. Consumers spent a cumulative total of 34.9 billion minutes in online shopping, the vast majority of which was devoted to shopping through mobile devices. The report suggests that mobile commerce has become a powerful force in the U.S. retail sector, driving many companies to develop and utilize their own mobile commerce services in order to appeal to consumers.

Smartphones trump tablets when it comes to mobile commerce

The report also shows that smartphones continue to be more popular than tablets when it comes to mobile commerce. As of March 2013, 34% of the time spent by consumers in online shopping came from smartphones, where 14% came from tablet devices. Tablets are gaining some momentum in mobile commerce, however, as they garner acclaim for their larger screens that allow for better navigation and a more enjoyable shopping experience.

Mobile commerce proves frustrating for consumers

| May 18, 2013

mobile commerce frustrating consumersReport highlights consumer complaints regarding mobile commerce

Mobile commerce has been showing promising growth around the world, but not all consumers have been won over by the prospects of mobile payments. Those that do support mobile commerce praise it for the convenience and efficiency it brings to both online and offline shopping. There are a growing number of consumers that consider mobile commerce to be time consuming and more difficult than necessary, according to a new study from Harris Interactive.

Businesses eager to embrace mobile payments

The study highlights the growing problems that consumers in the U.S. are beginning to have with mobile commerce. U.S. retailers and other merchants have been aggressively supporting mobile commerce, hoping to tap into the growing market of consumers with smartphones and tablets. In the scramble to appeal to mobile consumers, the mobile commerce platforms that many retailers are putting to use have apparently failed to meet the standards of customers. The study suggests that consumers are growing more frustrated with faulty platforms that disturb their shopping experiences.

Technical issues drive consumers away from mobile commerce

The study shows that approximate 68% of mobile consumers have attempted to purchase products from their smartphones or tablets, but 66% of these consumers have failed to do so due to the obstacles they have encountered with mobile commerce platforms. Many of these problems come in the form of poor network support. A slow Internet connection can effectively ruin a mobile commerce platform as connection problems can halt or duplicate transaction. Other technical problems have also proven frustrating for consumers.

Faster transactions could reclaim the favor of consumers

According to the study, some 47% of mobile consumers claim to have abandoned mobile commerce simply because transactions take too long. Businesses embracing mobile payments may do well to ensure that transactions are not time consuming so as to placate the concerns of consumers. This may require some retailers to make use of new mobile commerce platforms that are more capable of facilitating transactions over a better Internet connection.