Denny |
December 12, 2012
Google manages some success in mobile commerce
Mobile commerce continues t
o be a tricky subject for large companies. Telecommunications and technology companies, as well as financial institutions, are well aware of the potential benefits of involvement in the mobile commerce industry, but many of these companies have had difficulty establishing a foothold witch consumers. The challenges facing these companies has not slowed the expansion of mobile commerce and some have even managed to find some success with their endeavors in the industry. Such is the case with Google.
Apple eyed as potential competitor
Though Google has managed to corner a part of the mobile commerce market with its Google Wallet platform, the company still faces strong competition from other platforms, such as Isis. Now, Google is eyeing what it thinks may be a challenge from an unlikely source: Apple. Apple is currently a very modest player in the mobile commerce field, but could be poised to make a big splash with its Passbook platform, which is designed to be a sort of digital wallet for a user’s information, tickets, coupons, and other content.
Update to Google Search to make it more competitive against Passbook
Though Passbook itself does not support mobile transactions on the same level that Google Wallet does, Google is still poised to beat out its potential competition. Thus, the technology company has launched a new update for its Google Search application. The application is now capable of monitoring a user’s email account to keep track of tickets, such as boarding passes. When the application detects this content, it generates a QR code that can be used for check-ins. This is identical to a feature of the Passbook, but Google takes it a step further by also offering information on nearby stores and activities.
Application boasts of new features
Google has also introduced a new camera search function that acts as a reverse image lookup feature as well as a feature that provides notifications on tracked topics, such as “mobile commerce news.” While the Google Search application will not be able to facilitate mobile payments any time soon, Google believes that providing consumers with yet another form of digital wallet may be what is needed to gain a strong foothold in the realm of mobile commerce.
Clutch introduces new mobile commerce platform for iOS
Clutch, a mobile commerce compa
ny, has revealed a powerful new digital platform that aims to unite shopping, loyalty programs, and gifting. The mobile platform, which shares the same name as the mobile commerce company, is available for the iOS platform for free through the Apple App Store and the Clutch website. Clutch suggests that its application eliminates the need for multiple other applications coming from a wide range of developers, thus providing consumers with a higher degree of service and support.
Application aims to take advantage of gift card market
The first 1,000 consumers to download and register the Clutch application will receive a special digital gift card from several retailers worth $25. Gift cards are widely popular with consumers, especially during the holidays, but few take note of the value of the gift card market, which is worth a staggering $100 billion worldwide. This value accounts largely for physical gift cards. With consumers becoming more reliant on their mobile devices, the gift card market is also becoming more mobile, which is positioning it for expansive growth. Clutch sees this as a promising opportunity.
Platform could be very beneficial for consumers and retailers
The Clutch platform aims to make mobile shopping more streamlined for consumers while also taking advantage of the significant promise that can be found in the gift card business as well as loyalty programs. The application is capable of providing consumers with deals that are suited for their particular interests. Because Clutch accounts for a massive number of the world’s major retail brands, the mobile platform is capable of offering deals to consumers that align with their interests in an very accurate fashion. This also provides retailers with a very direct channel to consumers, opening the way for targeting marketing and engagement.
Clutch will have to compete with other platform for the favor of consumers
Clutch suggests that mobile shopping has become fragmented recently. The mobile platform may be able to help bring more simplicity to the business, but it will have to compete with the other mobile commerce platforms that are currently available. Consumers have shown that they are willing to try new platforms, but whether Clutch will be able to keep the consumers it is likely to attract has yet to be seen.