A survey by Data Development Worldwide shows that nearly half of consumers want a single mobile device. “The survey revealed 40% of U.S. consumers looking to make a mobile device purchase in the next three months wanted a single gadget that was flexible and could handle a variety of services. Smartphones and ultra-light laptops topped the list,” followed by full-sized laptops, GPS devices, and netbook computers.
July 16th, 2009
It appears that users will be able listen to the latest album, watch videos, share videos, and read news updates about the band and concert appearances, all on their Blackberry. Creating new ways for consumers to participate is the bottom line with state of the art web and mobile apps.
July 7th, 2009
Transit maps have been available for mobile, and now one company is taking it one level deeper. There is no end to the useful detail that can be utilized on mobile phones by consumers, it’s more of a question of which vendors are creative enough to find the right content.
July 7th, 2009
As more commerce is conducted on phones, marketers are experimenting with the best ways to reach consumers. Steve Smith likes good old coupons, and thinks that “few traditional marketing formats map so well to the phone. Instead of clipping, storing and remembering to carry these paper savings certificates, a mobile device makes it so much easier to locate the right discount and use it on the spot.”
June 30th, 2009
Consumers increasingly want web access everywhere – but how can it happen with the existing wide variety of networks? This is “driving the technology world to try to figure out how to build the equivalent of a bandwidth cloud composed of a variety of available networks, from cellular to Wi-Fi and WiMAX,” says Stacy Higginbottom at GigaOm. Speakers at a recent Portable Computer and Communications Association meeting described how this problem is being addressed by various services and software companies. Barbara Nelson, CTO of iPass, discusses the challenges here:http://gigaom.com/2009/06/24/biggest-barriers-to-seamless-mobile-connectivity/
June 30th, 2009
According to a study done by Javelin Strategy and Research, the American public is significantly cutting back on their credit card usage in wake of our recent economic downturn. With less cash to spend, not only are people showing more conservative purchasing habits, but many are having trouble paying off credit card debt. Here is an exerpt from the report which details the overall findings:
Key Findings in the Credit Card Report:
- 45% of those surveyed say their ability to contribute to savings has decreased.
- 37% of consumers say they are using their credit cards less.
- 28% of those surveyed say their ability to pay off their credit card balance has become more difficult.
- One out of every three consumers said they are buying fewer basic goods.
- 57% of those surveyed say they are more careful about how often they eat out at restaurants.
- 46% of consumers say they are shopping more at superstores like Wal-Mart™ and Target™.
The report is mainly based on data collected from a random-sample panel of 1,500 respondents targeting representative proportions of gender, age and income as compared to the overall US online population. Executive data is based on an online survey collected from a sample of 13 credit card industry executives at top tier credit card issuers in May, 2008.
For more also look to this article by PaymentsNews, which interviews some head executives from Javelin for further insight.
Technorati Tags: credit card, credit card decline, conservative spending, javelin study, javelin strategy and research
3 comments July 31st, 2008
I just ran across this article a little earlier today. Sorry, I know it was written a couple months ago, but it’s still good regardless. Apparently, UK has been trying to make sending money to family and friends much safer for everything by creating a new customer charter for money transfer companies.
As you can imagine, getting the funds safely overseas is a major concern for everyone. The UK Department for International Development writes:
Charges vary widely and the total cost to send £100 to some countries can range from less than £4 to as much as £40.
You can see the article here.
They decided to start a site called http://www.sendmoneyhome.org, aimed to allow “consumers to search international payment companies and compare transfer methods, costs, and speed of transfer.”
So next time you want to send money overseas, make sure you do some homework first. When it comes to money, especially with your family and friends, there’s nothing better than having a peace of mind that your funds will get there safely.
Technorati Tags: family, friends and family, families, loved ones, money transfer, send money, family and friends, money, overseas
1 comment June 23rd, 2008
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