PayPal survey shows that retailers are beginning to focus more heavily on young consumers
Retailers are likely to focus more on young consumers in the coming years as mobile commerce becomes more prevalent. A recent survey from PayPal found that some 59% of smartphone shoppers are between the ages of 18 and 34. These consumers are also more likely to conduct their mobile shopping through an application rather than a mobile website. Apps are seen as more convenient by many consumers and they offer a better shopping experience.
Consumers have strong interested in NFC technology
The survey from PayPal found that 47% of consumers prefer to shop through apps rather than mobile browsers. Notably, those preferring to shop with their smartphones noted that the feature they are most interested in seeing in the future is the ability to tap a phone to a payment terminal to make a purchase. This may be good news for companies that are investing in NFC technology, which is used in the mobile commerce space to transmit digital information over short distances.
China is leading the way when it comes to mobile shopping
PayPal’s survey found that China is home to the largest mobile shopping population. Approximately 68% of Chinese consumers shop online, either from a mobile device or a computer. The United Arab Emirates and Turkey follow behind China, with healthy online shopping activity. The most commonly purchased product purchased by China’s mobile shoppers were leisure products. In the United States, consumers used their mobile devices to purchase food and drink more than any other product category.
Retailers are beginning to focus more on apps rather than mobile websites
While consumers reported that mobile-friendly websites would encourage them to shop more frequently, they still prefer applications. Apps are often seen as more secure and capable of meeting the needs of consumers. Retailers have been working to improve their mobile websites, but a growing number of these companies have begun relying on apps in order to effectively engage consumers. Some retailers are also beginning to develop their own mobile commerce apps, hoping to secure a new generation of mobile shoppers.
The smartphone and consumer electronics manufacturer has now entered into the rapidly growing market.
In a market already rapidly filling up with Apple Pay, Android Pay and other large names of mobile payments options, LG has now unveiled its own option after having partnering with South Korean credit card companies KB Kookmin Card and Shinhan Card.
The companies have worked together to create a smartphone based payment system that will first launche in South Korea.
While the mobile payments service will be available exclusively in South Korea at its initial launch, it is unclear as to whether or not the service will move to an international market. At the moment, no date has been set for taking that kind of step outside the country.
There are currently many different types of technologies being used in order to complete payment transactions through the use of mobile devices. The two giants, Apple Pay and Android Pay, have both based their services on near field communication (NFC technology). At the same time, Samsung is using magnetic secure transmission (MST) that is comparable to the magnetic strip on a credit card.
LG mobile payments have not yet announced the type of technology that it will be using to complete transactions.
A growing number of retailers are starting to update their point of sale terminals in order to be more compatible with some of the top technologies being used for payments through mobile devices. It is likely that LG will choose a more established technology in order to ensure that it will be able to be compatible with the point of sale devices that are already in place now that its predecessors have paved the way for the use of mobile technology at the checkout counter.
The mobile payments space is one that has seen considerable controversy over the last few years as many believe in it, while others feel that it will never take off in the mainstream. A new study conducted by Research Now indicated that 51 percent of consumers would prefer to use a wallet app issued by their own financial institution as opposed to a third party such as Apple Pay, Android Pay or LG Pay. The next years will clearly be defining within this sector of the tech market.
