Posts tagged PayPal
Expected rise in Mobile Shopping; User Friendliness and Consumer Insight should be at the top of the list
Jul 20th
“John Donahoe, president/CEO of eBay said that eBay and PayPal’s expected $10 billion in volume transactions this year will be more 
than double what the companies saw last year. The results are proof that that there is a staggering surge in mobile shopping and payments, which did not exist years ago.” Although the eBay PayPal predictions were re-worked a number of times in the last quarter, the high number expectations further emphasize the drastic shift to Mobile Shopping to be seen in the coming year.
If the number of mobile shoppers is set to double as eBay predicts evidently this should lead to more people shopping exclusively with their mobile phone, naturally NFC payment should follow closely behind? We’d like to think so.
The company’s insightful strategy has already incorporated thought into the often dreaded part of paying by mobile phone; the tedious entering of credit card details. PayPal announcing two days ago they have acquired the start-up Card.io. Card.io specializes in credit card picture scanning; at just 15 cents a scan PayPal users will have the option of taking a picture of their card and license as supplement for entering credit card detail.
The consciousness of consumer opinion and user experience re-enforces the importance that Mobile Shopping and Payment remain effortless for users; with distinct & visible benefits, to lead to change in purchasing behavior.
On another note, as the shift to Mobile Shopping picks up traction it is important to look at leveraging the possibilities, instead of exploiting them. Recently published on Marketing Week by Michael Barnett an article highlighted exactly what Mobile Shopping should not be; license to spam customers with unwanted information. Barnett used the example of an unappreciated marketing campaign received from an Airline provider; pushing notifications asking participation in a government lobbying campaign.
Mobile Shopping may “provide valuable marketing data, but that value is unlikely to be realized if the business can’t use the program to engage emotionally with customers.” (Michael Barnett for Marketing Weekly)
The opportunity with data produced by Mobile Shopping, should lead to customer insight and a means of better relationships with shoppers by offering relevant rewards, couponing and marketing campaigns.
Relevant and Innovative: PayPal announces new POS solutions
May 31st
Last month PayPal unveiled its PayPal Payment solution which allows retailers to provide online and offline payments with a PayPal compatible POS system. Among the brands that will feature this service are: Abercrombie & Fitch, Advance Auto Parts, Aéropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Barnes & Noble, Foot Locker, Guitar Center, Jamba Juice, JC Penney, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Nine West, Office Depot, Rooms To Go, Tiger Direct and Toys “R” Us. The large variety of brands adopting this technology emphasizes that in-store solutions are for retailers of all products and sizes.
PayPal’s solution ensures retailers do not need to install any complicated equipment, instead because PayPal has signed contracts with POS manufacturers Ingenico and more recently a contract signed with both VeriFone and Equinox, “the number one and number three point-of-sale terminal manufacturers in the world,” (David Marcus, President of PayPal writes on the company blog) ensures the technology is already integrated by the POS manufacturer.
PayPal emphasizes the need for retailers to engage with their customers at every point in the journey, or risk becoming irrelevant. The features of PayPal’s solution are that it provides customers with a better shopping experience, extends loyalty programs and allows retailers to engage and connect with clients on multiple channels.
“PayPal’s offline solutions are much more than just a way to pay. We’re helping merchants connect with consumers at every stage in the shopping cycle. Before they come into the store, while they’re in the store, or even after they’ve left. We’re able to drive consumers through a retailer’s doors with relevant offers, coupons and discounts, then maintain a relationship with that consumer that keeps bringing them back to the retailer, in store or online.” (David Marcus, PayPal Blog)
Read more about the features of the PayPal offline/POS solution
Read more about Mobile Shopping Solutions