A subcategory of e-commerce, mobile commerce is taking over the technological world and has revolutionized online businesses. It is carrying various shops and their business and serving as a catalyst to their progress. Here is everything that you need to know about mobile commerce and how it has developed mobile technology and businesses around the world.
Table of Contents
What Is M-Commerce?
Mobile commerce is essentially when a customer uses a cordless handheld device that facilitates the online transaction and conducts other business-related activities over a seamless wireless system.
Not only mobile commerce provided a faster and easier way of dealing with business matters, its secure system also provides high cybersecurity to keep all your confidential and sensitive (money-related) activities secure and safe. In other words, you can say that mobile commerce (m-commerce) is helping to take the e-commerce space to a whole new level. Industrial giants like Apple and Google have introduced m-commerce as a massive part of their businesses.
Benefits of Mobile Commerce
Despite being a subset, mobile commerce itself has a lot to offer on its own merit. Many businesses are following the examples of major brands, and even small businesses are realizing the potential that mobile commerce offers. Here are a few of the benefits of m-commerce you need to understand.
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Ease Of Transactions
With e-commerce, you can enjoy seamless, convenient, and faster money transactions than ever. You can transact anytime anywhere; all you need is your device to connect.
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Wider Reach
The majority of the people in this world carry a mobile device in their pockets. With the development and progress in technology, smartphones are more widely available to you nowadays. This has contributed to widening the reach of e-commerce, which means high engagement and more coverage.
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Location-Based Targeting
Targeted marketing makes a considerable difference cost-wise as well as getting relevant traffic for your business. Mobile commerce helps you in getting customers based on their locations so you can attract and retain concerned customers.
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Streamlining
When every process is streamlined and coordinated, the company runs smoothly and seamlessly. M-commerce facilitates streamlining of multiple processes, which reduces the cost of the company overall as far as orders, sales, purchases, and all kinds of transactions can be carried out simultaneously and managed efficiently.
Types Of Mobile Commerce
There are various uses of e-commerce, which has made it so widely popular. Here are a few uses of mobile commerce:
Banking
Mobile banking apps have made lives a lot easier. Usually, there is a dedicated app to deal with all banking transactions. You can deal with the majority of your bank-related work through your mobile device with this innovative technology. However, there are a few restrictions due to security and privacy concerns.
Shopping
Online shopping increases in steam year-over-years, but it has become even more popular since the COVID-19 virus shook the world. People prefer buying from home instead of visiting shops and malls. Shopping via mobile commerce is easier as well as more interesting as you can find relevant products at hand and get subscriptions for the future. Also, coupons and loyalty cards can benefit the consumer as well as the producer in many ways.
Payments
A lot of people who used to prefer conventional methods of payment are now shifting to mobile commerce because of its multiple benefits, which leads to secure and reliable pay. Businesses are also using m-commerce for payments regardless of the amount as it is a contact-free, safer way of transferring money.
Other Benefits
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Chatbots And Website Assistant
Websites have live assistants who are there for guidance and customer care purposes, which makes the shopping experience quite alluring. This is majorly the reason behind m-commerce’s popularity when it comes to online shopping.
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Augmented Reality
Various companies (technology) have augmented reality for better consumer experience. They have incorporated this in using m-commerce.
Effects of Mobile Commerce on the Business World
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Finance
Mobile banking and other payment services involving cash and currency are not only made more comfortable and faster with m-commerce, but the extensive security system has made it quite reliable as well. Businesses conduct brokerage services and other trading activities over wireless networks without having to worry about the breaches or other hacking problems. The financial assistance of mobile commerce is probably the most highlighted part as it has opened doors to various ways of over-net transactions, making people’s lives easier.
Today, when COVID-19 has taken everyone by surprise and has shaken the whole world, m-commerce is helping companies maintain their finances and carry out smooth transactions without having to go out. Mobile commerce has led to contactless money transfers who has changed the game.
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Information
Mobile devices have taken the entire world and placed it in your palm. Mobile commerce has transformed information delivery quite a bit, as previously people required extensive research to find info, but now virtually anything you need to know is available at your fingertips.
From weather forecasts to financial news like stocks exchange rate, traffic updates, sports, fashion, and much more, it is accessible using m-commerce. This technology will help you keep your customers up to date with the latest news, and will keep you and your team up to date with any important industry updates.
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Retailing
Back in the day, who would have thought you could purchase something but tapping a couple of times on a screen (in your hand nonetheless)? Mobile commerce has changed the concept of retail shopping. Not only is it great news for consumers to make their small or bulk purchases over the internet with a minor handheld device, but it is benefiting businesses around the world.
The pandemic affected economies and trade to a great extent, which led to a decline in sales. M-commerce saved the day with its advanced technology helping people to make sales and purchases through a pocket device.
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Marketing
Marketing is one of the essential parts of any business. Millions of dollars are invested in marketing campaigns for promotions and improving brand equity. M-commerce has made marketing, not only more comfortable and cost-effective but also made it far more efficient and effective.
Companies run advertisements on various websites and platforms for promotional purposes; they also give out loyalty cards, coupons, and gift cards for retaining potential customers as well as attract new customers. The cost is far less than tangible marketing and makes a massive difference for your business position in the market.
M-commerce also helps in minting the marketing campaigns smoothly, which means various campaigns can run simultaneously and maintained through a single gadget. That is how mobile technology has created a difference for businesses in the present times, offering industries various opportunities to avail.
Apps not only allow your customers to buy from you, but they also allow you to send push notifications directly to your customers’ mobile devices.
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Business Outsourcing
There are various platforms that mobile commerce offers for businesses. The service is dynamic, which helps you extend your reach and engagement with other companies. In this way, many companies can improve their status as well as numbers of the balance sheet.
For an organization, outsourcing plays a vital role in expansion. The services that mobile commerce provide are not only flexible but also open-ended, which lifts off any limitation of your exploration and gives a fuller and more successful experience in joint ventures and other ways of outsourcing.
Another way in which it helps your business is smoother management. You can micromanage and keep activities in control (helps in quality assurance) with your pocket gadget by directly incorporating mobile commerce in your business.
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Auctioning
Not only can you have an entire auction visited with the help m-commerce but it also makes it possible to make payments and book tickets for auctions and other events as well. In fact, online sales are the new trend given the lack of leisure time people have. It is a more natural, faster, cheaper way of getting to a relevant auction. Mobile commerce has contributed quite a lot in developing this genre of purchasing.
These are just a few reasons you should be considering mobile commerce for your business. Read through and you’ll see clearly the benefit to you and to your customers. Give it a shot. You’re likely to significantly increase your business!
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- The Importance of Mobile Commerce its Impact on Business - August 4, 2020
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