What is Mobile Commerce – Everything You Need to Know
Have you ever bought something online using your phone? That's exactly what mobile commerce (m-commerce) is all about.
Mobile commerce is growing fast, and for good reason. According to Statista-
By 2027, m-commerce is forecast to grow approximately 856 billion U.S. dollars.
M-commerce brings great convenience and flexibility to modern buyers. Now they can shop anytime and anywhere. Whether they're at home, commuting, or on a break, users can quickly browse products, compare prices, and make purchases.
In this blog post, we're going to break down what mobile commerce really is, how it works, top trends, and why it's different from traditional online shopping. Ready to learn more? Let's dive in!
What is Mobile Commerce?
In simple words, if you're using your phone or tablet to buy something online, like a cool t-shirt or a new game, that's called mobile commerce or m-commerce for short.
Using mobile commerce, you don't need to open a computer or go to a physical store to purchase anything. You can do it by simply using your smartphone. It doesn't matter where you are. If you are at home, at a park, or even on a bus, you can still make the purchase using your mobile phone.
So, mobile commerce is all about doing online shopping, banking, or sending money using a smartphone or tablet. It's like having a whole store or a bank in your pocket!
Types of Mobile Commerce
There are several types of mobile commerce. However, there are mainly three types of M-commerce. Here they are:
- Mobile Shopping
- Mobile Payments
- Mobile Banking
Let's explore these categories in detail!
(i) Mobile Shopping
Mobile shopping is when you use your phone or tablet to buy things online. Suppose, you want to buy new shoes or toys. But instead of going to a store, you open an app or a website, browse through items, and buy them right from your device. This is called mobile shopping.
Example: You open the Amazon app, look for a new pair of sneakers, and buy them using your phone. That's online shopping using mobile app.
(ii) Mobile Payments
Mobile payments are when you use your phone to pay for something, either online or in person. Instead of using cash or a credit card, you can pay with apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal. You just tap your phone or scan a code, and the payment is done!
Example: When you are in a coffee shop, you can pay for your coffee by tapping your phone on a special machine without pulling out cash. This is called mobile payments. Easy, right?
(iii) Mobile Banking
Mobile banking lets you do your bank activities, like checking your balance, transferring money, or paying bills – right from your phone. You don't need to visit a bank or use an ATM. Just open the bank's app, and you can manage your money from anywhere.
Example: If you need to send money to a friend, you can just use the bank app on your phone to transfer the money instead of going to the bank. Quick and simple!
How Does M-Commerce Work?
Mobile commerce works by using your phone or tablet to buy things, make payments, or even handle banking. All you need is a mobile device and internet access.
Let's say you want to buy a new pair of sneakers. You can either download an app like Amazon or visit a mobile website, like Nike's, directly from your phone. These apps and websites are designed to work smoothly on your phone's smaller screen, so you can browse, pick what you want, and place an order with just a few taps.
The key to making mobile commerce work is your mobile device and internet connection. When you're connected to Wi-Fi or using your phone's data, your device communicates with stores and banks, letting you shop or pay for things instantly.
Benefits of M-Commerce
Mobile commerce has many positive aspects. The first thing that comes to mind when we think of m-commerce is that it is time-saving and convenient. Let's find what else the mobile commerce comes with.
This is the list of the major benefits of m-commerce:
- Convenience and Accessibility
- Faster Transactions
- Better Customer Experience
- Wider Audience Reach for Businesses
- Access to Mobile-Only Features
Let's check it out!
a) Convenience and Accessibility
You can shop or pay for things anytime and anywhere with your phone. If you are outside of your home or office, still you can purchase and pay for it through m-commerce. Just grab your phone, open an app or a mobile website, and you're good to go!
Want to buy a birthday gift for a friend, but you’re too busy to go to the mall? With m-commerce, you can buy the gift online from your phone while working on your project.
b) Faster Transactions
Mobile commerce allows you to complete transactions quickly. Payments are made instantly, and you don't have to wait in line or fill out long forms. If you're grabbing a snack, you can just use your phone's mobile wallet, like Apple Pay, to pay in seconds, without taking out your wallet or counting cash.
c) Better Customer Experience
Mobile apps and websites are designed to be user-friendly to make it easy to find what you need. They can also offer personalized recommendations based on what you've purchased before.
If you use the Amazon app, it might suggest new products based on things you've previously bought or looked at which saves you time searching for new items.
d) Wider Audience Reach for Businesses
Businesses can reach more customers with mobile commerce since almost everyone has a smartphone these days. This means more people can shop at any time, which can lead to more sales.
For example, a small local shop can now sell its products to customers all over the world through its mobile-friendly website, without needing to open more physical stores.
e) Access to Mobile-Only Features
Some features are available only on mobile devices, like location-based services. For example, apps can show you stores near you or let you know about special deals happening in your area if the store owner can properly optimize his store for local SEO.
You could get a notification from your favorite fast food app offering a discount because you're close to one of their locations.
5 Key Mobile Commerce Trends to Follow in 2024
If you want to leverage mobile commerce for your business, you should be aware of the mobile commerce trends. Now we are going to discuss the top mobile commerce trends for you:
- Mobile Wallets and Contactless Payments
- Augmented Reality (AR) in Shopping
- Voice Search and Mobile Assistants
- Personalized Shopping Experiences
- One Click Checkout
Now let's get into the details!
01. Mobile Wallets and Contactless Payments
Mobile wallets and contactless payments are becoming a huge trend in online shopping. A mobile wallet is an app on your phone, like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay, that stores your credit card, debit card, or even digital currency information.
Instead of carrying around a physical wallet, you can pay for things by simply tapping your phone on a payment machine.
This process is called contactless payments because you don't need to physically touch money or a card to make a purchase. You just hover your phone near a special reader, and the payment goes through instantly.
02. Augmented Reality (AR) in Shopping
Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that lets you see digital objects in the real world through your phone or tablet. In mobile commerce, AR is changing how people shop by letting them “try” products before they buy them. This is a futuristic AI trends in online shopping.
With AR, you can use your phone's camera to see how products would look in your real environment. This makes shopping more fun and helps you make better choices because you can see exactly how something will fit or look in your space.
Imagine you're shopping for new furniture, like a couch. Instead of just looking at pictures, you can use AR to place a virtual couch in your living room through your phone's camera. This helps you see if the couch matches your decor and fits in your space, all before you buy it.
03. Voice Search and Mobile Assistants
Voice search is changing the way people shop online using their phones. It lets you use your voice to search for things instead of typing. You can simply speak to your phone, and it will find what you're looking for. Mobile assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa are smart tools that help you do this.
With voice search, shopping becomes faster and easier because you don't have to browse through pages or type long queries. You can just ask your mobile assistant to find products, compare prices, or even place orders for you.
04. Personalized Shopping Experiences
In mobile commerce, personalized shopping experiences mean that the app or website you're using can show you products and recommendations based on your preferences, browsing history, and past purchases. It's like having a virtual shopping assistant who knows what you like and helps you find things you're more likely to buy.
Personalization happens when mobile commerce platforms use data about your shopping habits to suggest items that suit your taste, show special discounts, or recommend products you might not have thought of but would probably love.
Let's assume, you often shop for sneakers online. The next time you open your favorite shopping app, it might show you new sneaker arrivals or offer a discount on shoes you've been looking at but haven't bought yet. It makes you feel like the app knows what you want.
05. One Click Checkout
One Click Checkout is a feature that lets you complete your purchase with just one tap or click, without having to go through multiple steps like adding your address or payment details every time you buy something. This makes checkout process smooth and seamless.
Once your payment information and shipping address are saved in the app or website, you can instantly buy items without filling out any forms. This is super convenient because it speeds up the shopping process and reduces the chances of people abandoning their carts due to long checkout steps.
Let’s say you’re shopping on Amazon. If you’ve already saved your address and payment info, all you have to do is tap the ‘Buy Now‘ button, and your order will be placed instantly. You won't need to enter any more details, just one tap and your product is on its way.
M-Commerce vs eCommerce – Main Differences
Many people interchangeably use mobile commerce and eCommerce. However, both are different in terms of their working process. Let's find out what are their main differences:
| Feature | M-Commerce | eCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Devices Used | Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets | Any device including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones |
| User Experience | Designed for smaller screens and touch-based navigation, often with mobile apps | Typically designed for larger screens with mouse and keyboard navigation |
| Access | Anytime, anywhere with mobile internet access | Requires internet access but usually more comfortable from larger devices |
| Speed & Convenience | Quick access with features like one-click checkout and mobile wallets | Slightly longer process, usually requiring more steps on larger devices |
| Push Notifications | Apps can send instant alerts and updates directly to users' phones | Mostly relies on emails or browser notifications for updates |
| Location-Based Services | Can provide personalized offers and experiences based on real-time location (using GPS) | Less likely to use real-time location-based features |
| Mobile-Specific Features | Includes mobile wallets, AR for shopping, voice search, and mobile payments | Typically doesn't rely on mobile-specific features, more standard web browsing |
Top M-Commerce Examples
Mobile commerce has become a big part of how we shop, pay, and bank today. Here are some top examples of companies using m-commerce to make things easier for customers:
I. Amazon
Amazon has become one of the biggest companies in the world. One of the main reasons behind this success of Aamzon is its mobile app. With the app, you can shop for millions of products, read reviews, track your orders, and even use one-click checkout to make purchases fast.
Amazon also offers personalized recommendations, showing you products based on what you've searched for or bought before. If you're looking for a new phone case, you can easily search for it, compare prices, and buy it with one tap using Amazon's mobile app.
II. Starbucks
Starbucks has a mobile app that makes ordering coffee super easy. You can customize your drink, place an order ahead of time, and pay through the app without needing cash or a card. The app also includes a rewards program that keeps track of your purchases and offers you free drinks or discounts.
If you're in a hurry, you can order your favorite latte using the app, pay with a few taps, and pick it up when it's ready without waiting in line.
III. PayPal
PayPal's mobile app allows you to send and receive money, pay bills, and shop online all through your phone. It's widely accepted by online retailers, so you can use it to make secure payments without entering your card details every time.
If you're shopping online and don't want to type in your card info, you can use PayPal to pay instantly, and the app will handle the transaction securely.
IV. Walmart
Walmart's mobile app offers a great m-commerce experience with its easy-to-use interface. You can shop for groceries, electronics, clothes, and more, all from your phone.
Walmart’s app also has features like mobile payment options and order tracking, making it convenient for users. You can shop for groceries from home, pay through the app, and choose to either pick up your order at the store or have it delivered to your door.
V. Apple Pay and Google Pay
Both Apple Pay and Google Pay are mobile wallet apps that allow you to store your payment information securely. They make it easy to pay for things in stores, apps, or online by just tapping your phone on a payment terminal.
When you're at a store, you can simply tap your phone on the card reader to pay for your items using Apple Pay or Google Pay, no need to swipe a card or enter your PIN.
What is M-Commerce – Ending Note
Mobile commerce is quickly becoming everyone's favorite. With just a smartphone or tablet, you can buy products, pay bills, and even enjoy personalized shopping experiences. It's fast, easy, and fits perfectly into our on-the-go lifestyles.
As more people turn to their mobile devices for shopping, businesses are making it even more convenient with features like one-click checkout, mobile wallets, and voice search. So, what are you waiting for? Leverage mobile commerce for your business now and make your customers super satisfied!
Want to know what is social commerce? Check our blog on social commerce tips and trends to know everything about it.
Now if you have any feedback related to this blog, feel free to share it with us. We always appreciate our readers' valuable feedback. Take care!
