Mobile Trends: Commerce

Marisa Berger

Today, we are all living in a fast paced world. Everyone is constantly using their phones because they are always on the go. We use our phones for everything, from calling and texting to buying groceries. Without our phones, many of us would be lost (figuratively and literally) because most of our life revolves around the convenience of our phone.

Our phones are the center of our lives, with 97% of Americans owning a cell phone. Many times, people are using their phones to make purchases online. This is called mobile commerce.

While mobile commerce includes online shopping, it is also using your phone as a way to pay. Mobile payments have taken over our in-person shopping experience. Many people utilize their mobile wallets, where they can store their credit or debit card on their phone. They use Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more instead of carrying around a physical wallet with cards and cash inside. Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App are also very popular mobile payments. With these apps, people are able to transfer money to someone else.

Pros and Cons of Mobile Commerce

Pros

• Mobility: People are able to take their phones anywhere, meaning that they can make purchases anywhere at any time.

• Growth Potential: The mobile commerce industry is predicted to continue to grow.

• Payment Options: People have many ways they can choose to pay on mobile, they can use Apple Pay or Visa Checkout, for example.

Cons

• Constantly Changing: New technology is always being released and it can be hard to keep up with the changing tech.

• Price Comparisons: It can be hard for businesses using mobile commerce because it is very easy for consumers to compare their prices with competitors.

• Security: Typically, people don’t feel as secure putting their personal information on a mobile device, which may mean that they are less inclined to use their mobile device to make purchases.

Mobile Commerce Marketing

In order for people to want to shop on a website, it needs to have some things that will attract a consumer. If a customer sees something that catches their eye, they will want to click on it and will interact with the website. The website needs to be accessible and easy for anyone to navigate, no matter how many times they’ve visited. There also cannot be too much cluttering the website. If there is too much information, someone who is looking to purchase may get overwhelmed and leave the website. The information on the site also needs to be constantly updated so users are getting the latest facts.

Sources

“Mobile Commerce 101: M-Commerce Trends + Stats.” BigCommerce, BigCommerce, 19 Jan. 2024, www.bigcommerce.com/articles/ecommerce/mobile-commerce/#h2_common_benefits_of_mobile_commerce.

“Mobile Fact Sheet.” Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, Pew Research Center, 31 Jan. 2024, www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/?tabId=tab-305d9a4e-2c6c-4194-86c6-9ab21ac76df0.

Nahai, Nathalie. Webs of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion. Pearson Education Limited, 2017.