Mobile Commerce Minute

Mobile payments are the topic du jour but, as Chuck identifies in this episode, they are far from ubiquitous and face some steep challenges along the way.

BI Intelligence has put the first stake in the ground on the influence beacons will have on retail sales. $44 billion by 2016, up from $4 billion this year. Is this a big number? Is this a viable number? That's what we discuss in this episode.

Bonnaroo has long been a destination for music lovers and musicians alike. Over 80,000 people descend in Manchester, Tennessee in early summer for 4 days to watch some of the biggest names in music. It is also a haven for the early adoption of technology that we talk about here - RFID and beacons included. While the veneer of the event holds true to a traditional music festival, the way they use the technology is a great lesson for everyone. You see, they aren't pushing product, they are enhancing the experience. Chuck gives us the details in this episode.

Beacons are everywhere and on top of mind in every boardroom across all business types around the world. Beacons are at a point now that they just can't be ignored by anyone - even Groupon! They have announced their plans for beacons and Chuck gives us an overview on the show.

Beacons and mobile payments are emerging but the adoption rate isn't as fast because of the reason we outline in this episode. It has little to do with the technology or consumer willingness or value so what could it be?

A new study from RSR Research shows what retailers really think about how mobile can help their businesses...and it isn't great. The fact they are thinking about mobile IS great, what they hope it does for them and the area they are focusing on is NOT so great. Chuck highlights the key outcomes of the survey and then we ask the question no one seems to be asking...

Beacons have emerged as the hope of retailers across the land but the true mark of a lasting technology is how quickly it morphs and adapts to new industry. Chuck features the work of a beacon startup, Gelo, and how they are using beacons to help their clients in the industrial commercial markets. From trucking and bus transportation to museum tours - beacons are taking on new roles and proving to be tremendously useful beyond retail.

It turns out that many of us aren't buying large ticket items from our smartphones these days. A new study by Princeton Survey Research Associates on behalf of Bankrate found that only 12% of those that responded have bought big-ticket items from their mobile. Chuck gives us a rundown on the study results while I ponder why this is relevant at all...

The consumers have spoken. Well, 100,000 of them from 19 countries did in a recent study by the IBM Institute for Business Value. The study brings to light a number of important retail trends and Chuck highlights the two most pressing demands from consumers on bricks and mortar stores. We also dive into the reason why almost half of the consumers asked would give up their location but less than a third have.

There is a gap between when a technology is unveiled or launched and when/if it goes mainstream. Think back to the early web days, then the early ecommerce days and again with smartphones. There were always a few early adopters and influencers that saw the light a little before everyone else and then, almost overnight, the rest of us caught up and now they are a part of our lives. This pause between early adopters and mass market is the tech gap and that's what Chuck talks about today.