It's no secret that mobile commerce, or m-commerce, is expected to grow in popularity. It's not so much the ubiquity of cell phones, but cell phones with data capabilities and some form of web browsing (from WAP to Desktop-like Internet browsers). Having a smartphone with a full-fledged browser makes it easier to peruse Amazon.com as opposed to that old Motorola junker circa 2002 with basic WAP functionality, but mobile-optimized websites make it easier for users with nearly any modern phone to complete transactions from anywhere with a wireless signal.
Nielson Mobile released new data at the Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition, highlighting U.S. trends toward more transactions done over a mobile phone. They project that nearly half of the US (49 percent) mobile subscriber base will participate in mobile commerce in the future. They say the current number of m-commerce participants tally up to about nine million. And in Q1 of this year alone, 3.6 percent (or 9.2 million) of US subscribers used their cell phone for commerce transactions.
However, in the same study, 30,000 consumers were surveyed and asked why they didn't participate in m-commerce. The three major reasons are:
- 41 percent of data users say security is their biggest concern
- 23 percent are worried about being charged for airtime (something that should be clarified with your carrier first before anything data-related)
- 21 percent don't think the transaction will go through or be completed
As with any new form of technological convenience, consumers need validation to gain the trust of m-commerce. If reputable online retailers such as Amazon or eBay push m-commerce heavily, then we can expect a major shift toward toward "Call-and-eShop."
And with cell phone browsers themselves reaching desktop levels of usability while riding faster data networks, it's almost a given that m-commerce will reach greater levels of adoption relatively soon.
(Source: Earthtimes.org)
Posted
Jun 12 2008, 03:48 PM
by
Richly Chheuy