Tag: retail mobile commerce

IBM report sheds light on growing mobile commerce field

| April 29, 2013

IBM mobile commerce reportMobile commerce experiencing strong growth in retail

IBM has issued a new report concerning the growth of mobile commerce in the retail sector. The report — “Online Retail Index” — shows that mobile commerce has been growing in popularity among mobile consumers that favor their smartphones and devices over traditional means of shopping. Many of these consumers have become very comfortable with the concept of shopping online but are becoming less likely to remain tethered to stationary computers while doing so. Mobile technology has allowed these tech-savvy consumers to shop wherever they are, enabling them to shop more frequently and, in some cases, spend more money.

Tablets contributing to expansion of mobile shopping

According to the IBM report, mobile commerce grew by 31% in the first quarter of this year, up from where it had been in the same period of 2012. The report notes that growing tablet use is a major contributing factor to the growth mobile commerce is experiencing. Many consumers consider tablets to be convenient mobile shopping platforms. Larger screens offer better functionality with conventional e-commerce sites, making these sites easier to navigate removing some of the problems consumers have had with purchasing products.

Online sales are becoming increasingly mobile

The report indicates that mobile commerce now accounts for 17.4% of all online retail sales. This is expected to grow in the future as more consumers become acclimated to the concept of mobile shopping and purchasing products with nothing more than their smartphones or tablets. IBM predicts that growth will be sustained by retailers’ ability to provide consumers with a positive shopping experience and their ability to cater to tablet users.

Interactive technologies help attract consumers to mobile commerce

The IBM report notes that the use of interactive technologies, such as augmented reality and QR codes, has helped boost the adoption of mobile commerce. These technologies have been able to engage consumers in a new and dynamic way, encouraging them to make purchases of products that they are most interested in. In the case of QR codes, consumers have been able to make use of retailer discounts at a higher frequency, as long as they purchase products from a mobile device.

Mobile commerce may be the future of India’s retail industry

| April 22, 2013

Retailers seeing a marked rise in mobile commerce demand

E-commerce has grown to become a formidable force in India. The country’s retail sector has been working to appeal to consumers in a more dynamic way, now that many of these consumers have access to smartphones and tablets. These devices are beginning to change the way consumers shop online, making India’s traditional e-commerce initiatives somewhat outdated an unintuitive. As more consumers become mobile, retailers are beginning to consider whether the time is right to embrace mobile commerce more seriously.

Mobile technology expanding rapidly in IndiaIndia Mobile Commerce

The proliferation of smartphones and tablets is causing retailers to examine how to better engage consumers that are tethered to mobile devices. The best answer may be to adopt better mobile commerce services and ensure that e-commerce platforms are more accommodating to mobile devices. Currently, much the retailer industry’s online presence is built around those that shop online using their PCs. This means that e-commerce platforms are, generally, not optimized to be used for mobile devices, making it difficult for mobile consumers to shop and purchase products online.

Mobile commerce provides strong examples in other markets

Mobile commerce has already seen strong growth in other countries, such as  the U.S. and the United Kingdom. In these countries, mobile commerce has helped several retailers find an impressive amount of success. According to a recent report from BI Intelligence, a leading market research firm, approximately 29% of mobile users in the U.S. have made a purchase through their smartphone or tablet. Many of these purchases were reported in the retail sector.

Retailers beginning to see a need to adapt to mobile consumers

Myntra, a leading seller of fashion and lifestyle products in India, notes that it has seen a dramatic rise in the number of people interested in participating in mobile commerce. This is partly due to the mass deployment of new mobile devices throughout the country. Consumers may be interested in mobile commerce due to its relatively new nature and the novelty that provides, but Myntra notes that demand is beginning to grow to the point where mobile commerce can no longer be ignored.