Consumer Perspective on Mobile Commerce

Expect major growth in the mobile commerce space as Internet-enabled cell phones and cheaper carrier data plans become even more ubiquitous. Apple’s iPhone raised the bar—and damand—for intuitive, desktop-like browsing experiences on a pocket-sized device. The history of mobile web browsing has been anemic, to say the least. Mobile browsers, such as Palm’s Blazer and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Mobile, offer little more than rudimentary, dull, and often contemptible browsing experiences. While not perfect, Apple’s mobile Safari platform is almost revolutionary in scope—no need for a “mobile version” of cnn.com. With the recent improvements in Opera Software’s latest Opera Mini and the recent announcement of Firefox mobile, mainstream mobile web browsing will soon become a less excruciating experience. That means more consumers will use their mobile devices to browse the web as they would be in front of their desktop or laptop. And the convenience of shopping on the train, the subway, the park, or the toilet stall will be a boon for online retailers. Imagine ordering your groceries ahead of time right before you get there, or even better, get that hot latte just as you arrive at the front entrance. Mobile commerce, as phone software improves, will be a powerful motivator for the consumer on the go.