A Look Ahead at 2014 - Mobile Part 2
Mobile POS
And of course no discussion about mobile would be complete without mentioning mobile payments and mobile point of sale. Mobile POS has been a hot topic for some time now. Many predicted that 2013 would be the year where mobile POS boomed, but instead it only grew at a moderate rate. Not, it still may not be too late for 2013 to be the year of Mobile POS, because some retailers are rolling out mobile stations for the holiday season. However, as things stand right now I think this trend will be pushed back to next year.
I think the biggest reason Mobile POS has not taken off yet is because many of us are not sure what devices to use yet, and what systems work best. Do we use phones, or iPods, or tablets? Do we print out receipts, or email them? Do we allow cash transactions at these stations, and how much change do we want our associates carrying? It’s clear that there are many things to figure out, but most of these questions will be answered in 2014 by trial and error. Mobile POS stations may not become as popular as traditional registers next year, but it will be close.
Mobile Payments
Mobile payments, on the other hand, still haven’t taken a solid hold. Part of this again is because of all the decisions that need to be made. Do we go with NFC, or some type of bar-code? Do we use existing devices, or require separate ones like Loop? Do we trust the safety of these networks, or develop our own? There is a lot to choose from in the area of mobile payments, and until we all get on the same page the system will never work.
Now, judging on how crowded the mobile payment sector is right now I don’t see a mass-consolidation in the near future. Everyone seems to think they have to solution, and no one is really willing to look at other possibilities. However, I do see consumer confidence in mobile payments turning around in 2014. This new found confidence will act as a catalyst for mobile payments. As more people embrace it, a favorite is likely to emerge which will help the industry finally take hold of this technology.
Read Post 1 Here, Read Post 2 Here, Read Post 3 Here, Read Post 4 Here
Agilence Staff
