Tag: mobile payments

Facebook Messenger may soon become a mobile payments platform

| March 31, 2016

Code discovered in Messenger app hints at mobile commerce functionality

Facebook Messenger may soon become a hub for mobile payments. Code hidden within the application itself hints that Facebook may choose to make the app a mobile commerce tool, contrary to what the company had said in the past. Facebook has shown strong interest in mobile commerce, but had not intended to make the Messenger app into a new payment platform, opting instead to focus on other solutions. This may be changing, however, as Facebook begins to feel the need to compete with other companies in the mobile commerce space.

Facebook had been relatively disinterested in mobile payments in the past

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, had claimed that the company was not looking to break into the mobile commerce space in any considerable way. This is contrary to what the company has been dowing in the recent past, however, as Facebook has been making it possible for businesses to connect with consumers more dynamically and making it easier for consumers to purchase products online. Like other companies, Facebook has shown interest in the concept of social commerce, which involves consumers using social media sites to shop for and purchase products.

Social media companies are becoming more involved in mobile commerce

Facebook Mobile PaymentsThe company is not the only one within the social media space that is interested in mobile payments. Twitter, Pinterest, and several other companies have also begun breaking into the mobile commerce market. This market is quite competitive due to the numerous companies that have broken into the sector. Retailers are becoming very eager to embrace mobile shoppers, however, which is forcing social media companies to support mobile payments in order to better serve retailers using their services.

New features may be coming to Facebook Messenger

There are other features coming to Facebook Messenger as well, including a feature that could allow consumers to have “secret conversations.” This could operate in the same way as the “incognito” mode on web browsers, which prevents them from recording browsing history. Facebook has not yet commented on the discovery of the code within the Messenger app, but it may indicate that the company is beginning to grow more aggressive in the mobile commerce space.

Mobile commerce is influencing consumer behavior

| March 30, 2016

The rise of mobile shopping is changing the way consumers behave in the digital space

Consumer behavior is beginning to have a significant impact on digital commerce. Many consumers are becoming more mobile-centric, relying on their smartphones and tablets to research and purchase products that they are interested in. A recent report from Forrester Research shows that merchants may have to begin focusing more heavily on the mobile space as a result, as mobile commerce is becoming a very powerful force in the retail space, especially as more consumers become comfortable with the concept.

More consumers are beginning to use their devices in physical stores

According to the report from Forrester Research, 82% of consumers in the United States make purchasing decisions while in a physical store, with 56% of these consumers using their smartphones to check prices online. The report also shows that the capabilities of mobile devices are also changing consumer behavior. When in stores, more consumers are beginning to scan barcodes with their mobile devices in order to read reviews and compare prices. Consumers are also scanning codes to take advantage of special deals being offered by merchants.

Loyalty programs may help secure the growth of mobile shopping

Mobile Commerce Research Mobile commerce has become a very significant concept for the retail industry. One-third of all e-commerce transactions made throughout the world are now done via a mobile device. A recent report from Goldman Sachs predicts that mobile commerce will account for nearly half of all e-commerce transactions made worldwide by 2018. As this sector continues to grow, loyalty programs may become much more important to retailers than they already are. Approximately 46% of consumers are more willing to provide personal information if they can make use of a loyalty program of some sort.

Consumers are less likely to share personal information outside loyalty programs

While loyalty programs may provide merchants with more information about their customers, these people have limits when it comes to the information they want to provide. Outside of loyalty programs, consumers are less likely to share personal information. This is something that retailers will have to keep in mind once they begin focusing more heavily on the mobile commerce space in the future.