Mobile Commerce

Mobile Commerce, also known as M-Commerce or mCommerce, is the ability to conduct commerce using a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, a Personal digital assistantPDA, a smartphone, or other emerging mobile equipment such as dashtop mobile devices.

Mobile commerce or M-commerce is beginning to grow at an extraordinary rate, though initial uptake was slow due to security issues. More and more consumers are now using their smart phones not just to buy products but to also compare prices and check stocks in a particular store. Proof of the increased uptake is clear to see with the recent release of Paypal mobile App which was downloaded more than 1 million times in the first 3 weeks after launch.

An increase in smart phone adoption might help allow 2011 to finally be the year when mobile commerce becomes more mainstream. Not only have more consumers picked up smart phones like the iPhone and Blackberry, but they have also picked up tablets like the iPad. The iPad can utilize 3G, which means it is as much a device to partake in mobile commerce as a smart phone. Therefore the combination of these devices in consumers hands, should make 2011 a year where people become more comfortable with the concept of mobile commerce. Additionally more online retailers are stepping up their game and offering mobile friendly sites, or dedicated apps that provide a custom mobile commerce experience. Any ecommerce merchant who is not considering mobile commerce to be part of their strategy in 2011 should seriously rethink their plans, as it is an easy way to increase the reach of an online store, and hopefully increase sales.