Tag: united states

Some consumers will be avoiding mobile commerce during the holidays

| November 27, 2015

Survey finds that consumers are still not convinced that mobile commerce is the best solution when shopping

The holidays are here and consumers are expected to begin using their mobile devices to get their shopping done. This may not be the case for everyone, however, according to a new survey from Bankrate.com. The survey found that while consumers are interested in the concept of mobile commerce, they are not necessarily interested in using their smartphones and tablets to complete a purchase. Some have reported that they are not convinced that mobile payments apps are able to keep their information secure enough to feel comfortable with making a purchase.

14% of US consumers expected to use mobile payments apps

The survey from Bankrate.com has found that only 14% of consumers in the United States said that they will be using mobile wallets to make payments during the holiday season. Of those avoiding mobile payments, 36% reported that they are not comfortable with the level of security that can be found in the mobile commerce space. Security has been a problem for this market for some time, with many consumers reporting concerns regarding the safety of their financial information. Another 31% said that other payment methods were simply more convenient than what mobile commerce has to offer.

Consumers likely to continue using their mobile devices to conduct research on products

Mobile Commerce - Shopping MallConsumers do remain interested in mobile commerce despite their security concerns, of course. Many are likely to use their mobile devices to research products before they make a purchase. This allows shoppers to find better deals or take advantage of special offers coming from certain retailers. When it comes to actually making a purchase, however, the survey from Bankrate.com found that the majority of shoppers prefer to pay with cash, with approximately 30% of consumers preferring to pay with their debit cards.

Retailers could see success by engaging mobile consumers with secure and convenient services

Over the past few years, the mobile commerce market has experience strong growth on the back of the holiday shopping season. This year, retailers are expected to see similar results, especially if they have begun growing more mobile-centric over the past several months. They will, of course, have to ensure that consumer information is kept secure if they want to find any success in the mobile commerce field.

Apple launches mobile payments platform in Canada

| November 20, 2015

Apple Pay has finally come to Canada, officially launched this week

Apple Pay has officially launched in Canada, where it may be able to find more traction among consumers than it has in the United States. Apple launched its mobile payments platform in the U.S. late last year, but Apple Pay has not found the degree of success that Apple had expected. Of the 1 million people that are registered for Apple Pay, approximately only 5% use the service regularly. In Canada, Apple may be able to find more consumers that are interested in mobile payments.

Consumers in Canada have shown a great deal of interest in mobile payments

Canadian consumers now have access to Apple Pay, which will allow them to use their mobile devices to make purchases at physical stores and online. Physical payments are accomplished by “tapping” the mobile device to a payment terminal, which is equipped with NFC technology. NFC is designed to transmit data over short distances, which makes it an ideal tool for mobile payments. Only those with the latest iPhones will be able to use Apple Pay, however, due to the fact that these are the only iPhones that are equipped with NFC technology.

Apple is slowly breaking into new markets with its mobile payments service

Apple Pay - Mobile Payments CanadaApple has opted to take a relatively slow approach to the expansion of its mobile payments service. The company has shown interest in bringing the service to other countries, but it has opted to take its time in doing so. The slow approach may pay off in the long run, as consumers will become more comfortable with mobile payments when apple Pay becomes more available.

Consumers in the US are lagging when it comes to mobile payments adoption

While consumers are becoming more interested in mobile payments, they still prefer more traditional forms of commerce, such as paying with plastic cards and using physical currency. In the United States, mobile payments is growing, but at a slower pace than what is being seen in other countries. As such, many organizations are beginning to focus on these markets with their mobile payments services.