With the growth of mobile being an obvious global phenomenon, it may be commerce that ultimately hits the sweet spot.
I’ve noticed a larger-than-usual amount of activity and announcements relating to mCommerce from around the world recently.
Here are some examples just from over the last few days:
Sweden. The Swedish electric device retailer connected with the mobile payments service Payair to let consumers use QR codes on print ads and on billboards to scan and buy directly from their phones by entering a PIN number.
Australia. Online retailers in Australia are marketing directly to 55 million mobile commerce shoppers in China, since three of every four internet users in China reportedly use the Web over a mobile commerce-capable device.
Russia. The state-owned railway company in Russia just launched an app so commuters can check train schedules and then pay for tickets, with receipts returned via SMS.
Kenya. More than three-quarters of people in Kenya are using mobile payment services, provided primarily by phone companies, giving an alternative form of banking for many without access to traditional financial services.
United Kingdom. With smartphone penetration reported at 58 percent, almost half (44%) of smartphone owners performed at least one shopping activity, ranging from purchasing to scanning a product barcode.
France. Mobile commerce in France, while still a tiny portion of e-commerce sales, increased from $535 million to $1.3 billion in just one year.
Mobile makes it easier for people anywhere to spend money. Many of the companies involved in the transaction portions of mobile commerce totally get this, especially credit card companies like MasterCard and American Express, which already have global footprints.
Been outside the U.S. recently? What are you seeing in mobile commerce?
Chuck Martin is editor of mCommerce Daily at MediaPost and writes the daily MobileShopTalk. He is author of “The Third Screen,” “The Smartphone Handbook,” and the soon-to-be-published “Mobile Influence.” He is CEO of Mobile Future Institute and a frequent mobile keynote speaker around the globe.
