Tag: t commerce

Mobile commerce is not popular with everyone

Mobile commerce has been gaining steam, largely due to the influence of the holiday season, but there is still a long way to go until consumers feel comfortable with using a mobile device to purchase goods and services. New research from The BIO Agency, a digital agency that specializes in online marketing, shows that many U.S. consumers are leery when it comes to mobile commerce. These consumers suggest that security is their primary concern.

41% claim they will not use their mobile device to make a purchase

According to The BIO Agency, 41% of American consumers refuse to use their smart phone or tablet device to make a purchase online or in a store. This accounts for some 103 million shoppers that are not interested in participating in mobile commerce. The general consensus among these consumers is that cellular and tablet devices are not secure enough to make them comfortable with purchasing products online. Without adequate security features, these consumers are unlikely to adopt mobile commerce in any way.

Security may be primary concern

The research from The BIO Agency shows that mobile commerce adoption is highest among younger consumers. Those between the ages of 18 and 24 are most likely to make purchases online using a mobile device, with entertainment products being the most popular. Generally, older consumers are more leery of mobile commerce. This may come from a lack of understanding regarding how mobile commerce works, but many suggest that mobile security must be improved before they can feel comfortable with mobile payments, whether they understand how these payments work or not.

Slow adoption may create problems for mobile commerce in the future

Several industries are investing heavily in mobile commerce. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, shoppers favored their mobile devices when purchasing products, providing a massive amount of momentum behind mobile commerce. This strong showing has secured strong support for mobile commerce, but if consumers continue to resist adoption, this burgeoning industry may be facing significant problems in the future.

Tablet commerce finding traction during the holidays

Mobile shopping is nothing new, dating back to 1997 with Wireless Application Protocol sites, those that facilitate access to information over a mobile wireless network. Throughout the years, mobile shopping has evolved to become something that is wildly popular among tech-savvy consumers. This is becoming especially true for tablet users, who are beginning to represent a sizeable share of the mobile consumer base. Deloitte, a UK-based consulting firm, as well as several other market research firms, expects that tablet commerce will  see a great deal of attention during this year’s holiday season.

Consumers becoming more interested in tablet commerce

Tablet commerce is a form of mobile commerce that refers specifically to the use of tablet devices, such as the iPad. Tablets are becoming more popular among consumers because of their wider range of capabilities, which trump most conventional smart phones. This is especially true in the publishing space, where magazines, newspapers, and other publications are seeing a great deal of growth through the offering of digital editions designed specifically for tablets.

Forecasts predict tablets to account for major financial activity during Christmas season

Deloitte predicts that more than $400 million in sales will be made in the United Kingdom directly through smart phones during the Christmas season. Tablet commerce is expected to perform much better, with Deloitte forecasting more than $550 million in sales coming directly from tablets. Adobe’s Digital Index 2012 Online Shopping Forecast predicts that tablets will account for nearly 8% of all sales made in the United Kingdom during the Christmas season this year, up from the 3% share they held in the same period of 2011.

UK retailers beginning to take mobile commerce more seriously

British retailers are showing more serious interest in mobile shopping for tablets as well. Retailers are beginning to develop services that are specifically designed for tablet devices, rather than smart phones. Applications for tablets are becoming much more common and could help influence more shopping activity among mobile consumers that are interested in using their mobile devices to find and pay for products than participate in traditional forms of commerce and shopping.