nology must overcome a few obstacles.
Smartphones need to sync seamlessly
with the PC along with other appliances
and applications. He says the PC has
taken many years to mature to the feature
rich and robust platform it is today, especially when it’s used to collect and display
information.
“The PC, unlike the smartphone,
has long established its platforms, and
has standardized around several key application platforms that deliver a robust
user interface which is optimized for how
people work with PCs. This has led to
a vibrant marketplace and thriving user
community,” Kleinman says.
He adds that smartphone users, unlike
PC users, are often distracted. “Applica-
purchase as daily-deal and other direct
response brands, e.g., Gilt Groupe and
Tiger Direct, are developing deep, ‘we-
know-you’ relationships with consumers.”
Despite obstacles, Ken Musante, presi-
dent of Eureka Payments LLC, a payment
processing firm in Eureka, Calif., says
mobile will continue to swell and that
big companies such as Google are design-
ing solutions for payments to be made
remotely using the consumer’s cell phone
or contactless card.
Many teleservices companies are expanding their business beyond just providing
sales for clients to keep up with consumers’ growing interest in the Web.
tions for smartphones have to provide a
solution that supports this intermittent
lifestyle,” he says.
Kleinman proposes creating a panel of
industry experts “to develop an interoper-
able, nascent, global mobile marketing
and payment application solution.”
But Pouliot thinks that marketers
and retailers are already on the job, in a
way. “Consumption behavior shifts also
have some here-and-now implications
for payment processing today,” he says.
“Cart sizes are smaller as more consumers
are buying individual items via mobile.
There’s greater opportunity for impulse
bile payments are less expensive to proc-
ess — typically 0.7 percent to 0.5 percent
less to process over keyed transactions.
And the equipment costs for mobile pay-
ment devices have come down. “And
connectivity is now more available than
ever,” he adds.
Fulfillment of Retail
The old saying, “Be careful what
you wish for, lest it come true,” could
fit perfectly if your product ends up on
retail shelves. Yes, sales will hit the
stratosphere, but only if you find the right
fulfillment house to make it happen. If
they fail, you fail.
