Mobile Commerce

Square continues to update and improve its products for small businesses and blur the line between where "old fashioned" payments ends and the new world of mobile payments begins. This time the company is introducing a new Square Register, an iPad app aimed at replacing the traditional cash register and credit card terminal at brick-and-mortar stores.

Target, Wal-Mart and a slew of other retailers have reportedly joined the emerging battle over turning smartphones into virtual wallets. The two giant discount retailers along with about two dozen unnamed retailers are teaming up to develop a mobile-payments system in an effort to capture at least a piece of a market expected to surpass $600 billion by 2016.

eBay has announced a number of strategic moves including a new partnership with major carrier Three.co.uk; integrations with merchants such as Yotel and Entradas.com; and mobile app updates that evolve mobile commerce selling and shopping experiences for consumers. In 2011, eBay mobile commerce generated $5 billion in retail volume, and PayPal mobile generated $4 billion in payment volume. eBay’s mobile apps have been downloaded more than 70 million times, according to the company. 

Although it may be premature to say that the long-awaited day of mobile payments has arrived for all establishments, mobile payment options are definitely arriving. What's more, they're radically changing the way consumers and retailers complete transactions.

Succeeding in mobile commerce requires more effort than just pushing out your web content to a connected device. Find out how consumer behavior and expectations, geotargeting, and follow-up communication are all part of a winning m-commerce strategy.

Bloomingdale's is proving that mobile plays an integral role in the company's overall strategy via a new catalog that not only promotes its recently launched iPad application, but also includes QR codes and SMS calls to action throughout.

J.C. Penney is promoting its new fair and square pricing as well as ramping up its mobile commerce strategy via a new advertising campaign. The company is running audio and full-page ads within Pandora's iPhone application. 

Did you know that the average person in Philadelphia commutes 30 minutes a day on SEPTA, the city's public transportation system? That doesn't leave much time for grocery shopping. But what if you could do your shopping while waiting for your commuter train, bus or trolley?

One of Australia's well-known fashion labels is taking another step forward in its bid to be the country's most innovative retailer. Sportsgirl has launched "window shop," which allows customers to purchase products without entering a brick-and-mortar store.

Online payment service company PayPal is testing a new mobile shopping initiative that allows consumers to point and purchase using QR codes. PayPal has created catalog "mobile shopping walls" in 15 metro stations in Singapore. The large displays feature Valentine’s Day offers from eight participating retailers. The user will need to first download the PayPal QR code reader app, which scans the barcodes and allows the user to log into PayPal to purchase the items.