Over two billion mobile phone or tablet users will make some form of mobile commerce transaction globally by the end of 2017, up from 1.6 billion this year, according to a new report.
Mobile consumption of services such as banking, money transfer and purchases of goods and services was surging as consumers were either migrating from desktop usage or becoming first-time eCommerce users through their smartphones or tablets, a report by Juniper Research found.
It found that in a number of developed markets, mobile devices would account for over half of online transactions within five years.
The report, Mobile Commerce Markets: Key Sector Strategies, Opportunities and Forecasts 2014-2019, also observed that while contactless payments had yet to gain traction outside Japan and South Korea, Apple Pay was expected to provide Near Field Communication (NFC) with real momentum.
It also stressed the opportunity for mobile to offer consumers in emerging markets first-time financial inclusivity through the provision of mobile wallets, enabling services beyond payments such as savings and micro-insurance.
Meanwhile, the report highlighted the potential of social networks in accelerating mobile commerce adoption.
“Brands and retailers should certainly seek to integrate their offerings with players such as Facebook and FourSquare. Integration offers reach, allied to the potential to target specific user demographics,” said report author Dr Windsor Holden.
The report also recommended the integration of operator billing capabilities with websites to monetise digital content amongst a wider user base.
It also found consumers concerns around transaction security remain the primary inhibitor on service adoption.
While growth in the number of mobile digital content purchasers in developing markets is relatively low, the value of customers is increasing markedly as they transition from ring-tone purchase to rich media content typically monetised through in-app purchase.