Global
mobile payment transaction values for digital and physical
goods will exceed £150bn a year within five years, says analyst
Juniper Research.
In its latest research into the market, Juniper said
payments made via mobile phone for digital goods (such as
music, tickets and games) and physical goods (typically gifts and
books) will exceed this figure annually by 2013.
Juniper said there was a significant and immediate opportunity
for mobile payment services, systems, software and supporting
services to underpin the processing of this value of payment
transactions.
Juniper researcher Howard Wilcox said, "Merchants in North
America and Western Europe are just starting to realise the
potential of a mobile web presence as a fourth channel to
market.
"Retailers should be evaluating the benefits of the mobile web,
and be mindful of the success of regular e-commerce sites in
generating sales. They need to move quickly to exploit the
opportunity presented, and ensure that they maintain ease of use
for their customers who are already familiar with web shopping from
their PCs."