Tag: united kingdom

Zapp aims to bring strong competition to the mobile commerce field

| November 7, 2013

Mobile commerce competition continues to heat up

It is not uncommon for companies to compete with one another, especially in the field of mobile commerce. It is relatively uncommon, however, for start-ups to target large corporations as their major competition. Mobile commerce firm Zapp, which is based in the United Kingdom, has taken aim at both Visa and MasterCard, seeking to dethrone these two companies in the mobile commerce arena. Zapp plans to boast of more than 20 million users by the end of 2017, an ambitious goal that if achieved would make the firm one of the most successful entities in the mobile commerce field.

Zapp aims for 20 million users by 2017

Zapp was launched earlier this year and aims to make mobile payments in stores, online, and through applications more convenient and accessible to consumers in the United Kingdom. The firm intends to incorporate its mobile payments system into banking application from some of the country’s largest financial firms. Zapp is reportedly close to closing deals with three prominent banks in the UK, which will give the company significant momentum to launch its mobile commerce services through these institutions at some point next year.

Mobile Commerce CompetitionBanks could incorporate Zapp services

Zapp is designed to bypass card networks. Using Zapp, consumers will have a direct connection to their bank accounts, which can be used to make mobile payments for goods and services. Zapp claims that this will make mobile commerce more convenient for consumers as they will never have to deal with physical cards or other forms of physical currency.

Retailers show interest in Zapp

The mobile commerce firm is not only focused on banks, of course, as it also expects several prominent retailers in the UK to make use of its services. Zapp is proving attractive to retailers through the promise of higher checkout completions and the low fees associated with the services it offers. Whether Zapp will be able to compete with Visa and MasterCard among retailers and banks has yet to be seen, as both Visa and MasterCard have a significant head start over the mobile commerce start-up.

Mobile commerce sees promising growth in the UK

| September 18, 2013

Report highlights growth of UK mobile commerce

A new report from Capgemini, a business consultancy firm, and IMRG, an online retail association based in the United Kingdom, show that mobile sales in the UK grew by 133% year on year in August. The report shows that mobile sales reached more than $1.8 billion in this time, representing major growth in the field of mobile commerce. In the United Kingdom, more consumers are opting to shop and make purchases using their smartphones and tablets as more comprehensive mobile commerce services become available.

Online sales grow 18% in August

In general, online sales in the United Kingdom grew by 18% in August of this year, reaching over $7 billion. Consumers appear to prefer traditional forms of online shopping, such as buying products from home using their computers, but a growing number of people are showing interest in mobile commerce. Smartphone and tablet adoption is on the rise, which is one of the factors contributing to the growth of mobile commerce. Another factor has to do with the increased focus that retailers are putting on mobile consumers.

Mobile Commerce on rise in UKRetailers seek to engage mobile consumers

Many UK retailers have been making major revisions to their websites to be more accommodating to mobile users. These retailers are attempting to optimize the mobile shopping experience, encouraging consumers to make purchases using their mobile device. A good experience with mobile commerce is likely to ensure consumers continue making mobile purchases. In the past, poor mobile commerce experiences have kept consumers away from mobile shopping on certain platforms.

Security fears seem to be mitigated

Consumers in the UK appear to be growing more confident in the security associated with mobile commerce as well. Security has long been one of the most challenging issues of the mobile commerce sector. Consumers often express concerns regarding the safety of their financial information, but retailers and mobile commerce firms appear to be providing higher levels of security to allay any sense of fear that consumers may have.