Tag: china mobile commerce

China is a hotbed for mobile commerce activity

| March 3, 2014

Survey highlights the growth of mobile shopping in China and elsewhere

MasterCard has released the results of a new survey concerning mobile commerce in China. Consumers throughout China have been growing more interested in shopping from their mobile devices and are beginning to use their smartphones and tablets to purchase products more often. Many consumers consider mobile shopping to be very convenient and ideal for their current circumstances. This is especially true among people that commute often as mobile commerce allows them to purchase products from wherever they are and have these products delivered to their homes.

Nearly 100% of Chinese respondents have made a mobile purchase in the past three months

According to the survey from MasterCard, mobile commerce has been growing quickly throughout the Asian-Pacific region. Thailand, South Korea, and India boast of impressive results when it comes to the number of people participating in mobile shopping and payments. The survey shows, however, that nearly 100% of the respondents in China have said that they have made at least one online purchase from a mobile device in t he past three months. Approximately 59% of these consumers noted that they made a purchase with a smartphone.

Retailers help power the growth of mobile shopping

Mobile Commerce Activity - ChinaThe survey attributes the growth of mobile shopping in China to the efforts that several retailers have made to engage mobile consumers. Alibaba and Tencent, for example, have launched aggressive campaigns to attract the attention of these consumers. Using their Alipay and WeChat applications, these companies have managed to establish a dominant position in the mobile field. Smaller retailers have also been working to accommodate the needs of mobile consumers by embracing mobile payments more readily.

China is likely to retain its lead as a prominent mobile commerce market

China is expected to be a leading mobile commerce market well into the future, followed closely by Thailand and South Korea. As smartphone penetration continues to rise throughout the Asian-Pacific region, the number of people shopping online from their mobile devices is expected to continue growing. Tablets are also beginning to establish a reputation among consumers in this region as one of the best mobile shopping platforms currently available.

Alibaba and Tencent clash in the mobile payments market

| February 27, 2014

China’s mobile commerce market becomes a battelfield for two large companies

Two of China’s largest companies have entered into a proverbial war over the mobile payments market. Both Alibaba and Tencent have high hopes for the mobile space and have been aggressively establishing a strong presence in the mobile commerce sector. Alibaba has managed to capture a strong lead with its Alipay platform, but Tencent still has a strong connection to Chinese consumers through its WeChat application. Now, the two companies are beginning to fight in the cab-calling services arena.

Cab-calling services receive more attention from Alibaba and Tencentmobile payments

Cab-calling services are becoming somewhat common in China. These services are very straightforward in than consumers can call for a taxi and arrange for transportation. Some services allow users to pay for their taxi directly from a mobile device. This is meant to make it more convenient for consumers that have become more reliant on their smartphones and tablets to pay their cab fare. Alibaba and Tencent have entered into a price war with their respective Kuaidi and Didi applications.

Applications set to compete more aggressively

The two applications offer similar cab-calling services. As such, they have begun intensely competing with one another for consumers that will likely use one over the other for the foreseeable future. Tencent has announced that those using the Didi and WeChat applications will receive a price subsidy on their travels. Alibaba has also announced a similar initiative, claiming that those using the Kuaidi application and paying for their trip with the Alipay platform could receive significant discounts.

Mobile commerce competition continues in China

Competition in the mobile commerce sector is unavoidable for large companies that intend to establish a strong following in the mobile space. Chinese consumers have become enthralled with the concept of mobile payments and new services are becoming available to them at a rapid pace. These services intend to capture their attention and support for years, but few have managed to actually do so. Tencent and Alibaba have managed to attract support from most consumers in the country concerning their mobile initiatives.