Mobile E-commerce CS37420

Mobile Ecommerce Mobile telephony Standards Smartphones Software solutions Payment Systems Operating Systems Apps

Background Mobile phones send and receive radio signals with any number of cell site base stations fitted with microwave antennas These sites are usually mounted on a tower, pole or building, located throughout populated areas, then connected to a cabled communication network and switching system The phones have a low-power transceiver that transmits voice and data to the nearest cell sites, normally not more than 8 to 13 km (approximately 5 to 8 miles) away .

Being mobile When the mobile phone or data device is turned on, it registers with the mobile telephone exchange, or switch, with its unique identifiers It can then be alerted by the mobile switch when there is an incoming telephone call. The handset constantly listens for the strongest signal being received from the surrounding base stations, and is able to switch seamlessly between sites. As the user moves around the network, the "handoffs" are performed to allow the device to switch sites without interrupting the call.

Cell Sites Cell sites have relatively low-power (often only one or two watts) radio transmitters which broadcast their presence and relay communications between the mobile handsets and the switch. The switch in turn connects the call to another subscriber of the same wireless service provider or to the public telephone network, which includes the networks of other wireless carriers. Many of these sites are camouflaged to blend with existing environments, particularly in scenic areas.

Standards

Digital Mobile Phones Over 5 billion registered for use in the world GSM standards enable roaming and global sales Smartphone is the enabler for mobile e commerce

Smartphone Very short history

Nokia Communicator

Blackberry 8700

Apple 5

Samsung Galaxy S3

Content purchase and delivery Currently, mainly consists of the sale of ring-tones, wallpapers, and games for mobile phones. The convergence of mobile phones, portable audio players, and video players into a single device is increasing the purchase and delivery of full-length music tracks and video. The download speeds available with 4G networks make it possible to buy a movie on a mobile device in a couple of seconds.

Location-based services The location of the mobile phone user is an important piece of information used during mobile commerce or m-commerce transactions. Knowing the location of the user allows for location-based services such as: Local discount offers Local weather Tracking and monitoring of people

Mobile money transfer, ticketing, vouchers, coupons and loyalty cards ATM Mobile ticketing Mobile vouchers, coupons and loyalty cards

Traffic and Banking Traffic reporting Mobile banking Customized traffic information, based on a user's actual travel patterns, can be sent to a mobile device This customized data is more useful than a generic traffic-report broadcast, but was impractical before the invention of modern mobile devices due to the bandwidth requirements Mobile banking Banks and other financial institutions use mobile commerce to allow their customers to access account information and make transactions, such as purchasing stocks, remitting money. This service is often referred to as Mobile Banking, or M-Banking.

Mobile marketing and advertising In the context of mobile commerce, mobile marketing refers to marketing sent to mobile devices. Companies have reported that they see better response from mobile marketing campaigns than from traditional campaigns. Research demonstrates that consumers of mobile and wireline markets represent two distinct groups who are driven by different values and behaviors, and who exhibit dissimilar psychographic and demographic profiles.   As a result, successful mobile commerce requires the development of marketing campaigns targeted to this particular market segment

M-commerce in Retail Mobile is perhaps the number-one area of digital commerce to watch, Major attraction its ubiquity, popularity ever-expanding technical capability widespread belief that mobile internet access could overtake desktop access in next 2 – 3 years

Growth A sluggish start now appears to have given way to a sustained momentum for the channel. From the IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking Index, mobile sales rise from 0.4 per cent of e-retail sales to 5.3 per cent over the space of just two years. (IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking Index) It is probably fair to say then that m-commerce has now begun its rise to sales prominence in earnest. It is clear that the opportunity is too great to be ignored

What to do? But what should retailers focus on in order to ensure they are able to take advantage of it?

App or web To focus on a mobile-optimised site or develop an app? The answer depends on the brand its specific customer profile the nature of its offering On the whole though, when it comes to sales conversion rates, a mobile-optimised site would appear to be the best choice

Apps can be very useful for engagement and providing a good customer experience particularly with their capacity to utilise some of the more advanced functionality of a mobile device Less potent as a direct stream for increasing revenue Many retailers generate less than 1 per cent of their sales through an app.

Transactional or Promotional If the primary aim of a mobile channel is to be transactional an optimised site seems to be the more appropriate option a tendency for users to go straight to their browser when shopping which is, and always will be, a “browsing” experience. A mobile site will reach more consumers Compatibility issues should be at the forefront of any strategic decision-making

The Customer As with all things in retail, it is largely a matter of understanding the customer and providing an offering appropriate to their needs Although the growth rate is very impressive, the actual percentage of the total market that mobile accounts for is still relatively small

Scalability While it may be appropriate for a site to have an eye on scalability in anticipation of that growth The focus for the time-being should probably be on presenting a solution that caters for the basics very well Lots don’t

Payment Systems A small set of examples: Credit/Debit Cards Electronic Banking Contactless Payment Systems SMS Payment

Credit Cards Most popular way of paying in B2C transactions online Estimated in USA that 90% of all B2C is via credit/debit cards Introduction of card verification number (CVN) has improved security Banks have further checks to request passwords etc Smartcards can be loaded with cash at ATMs or by phone

Electronic Banking New apps on phones support electronic banking. Password controlled, easy to use Checks of balances Money transfer to other bank accounts Set up of common payments

Contactless Payment Systems Some mobile phone can make mobile payments using contactless payments  The phone and point of sale terminal must support near field communication (NFC)  This requires the co-operation of manufacturers network operators retail merchants to enable contactless payments through NFC-equipped mobile phones

SMS Payments Method of charging to mobile phone bill The consumer sends a payment request via an SMS text message to a  short code  Premium charge is applied to their phone bill The merchant involved is informed of the payment success Releases the paid for goods A trusted delivery address is typically not given Goods are most frequently digital Merchant replying using a Multimedia Messaging Service to deliver the purchased music, ringtones, wallpapers etc.

Operating Systems Symbian Blackberry Was most popular Consortium led by Nokia Now open source Blackberry Tightly built to support secure email

The Major Players Android IOS Windows 8 Most installs Derived from Linux IOS Apple introduce first multi-touch phone Opened up to app developers Windows 8 New interface Integrated social media

Apps Apps are in their infancy Very sophisticated multi sensor inputs New easy to use development tools HCI is a problem Screen size on phones Navigation - Hierarchical Sheer Bad Design But very early days……………