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Archived news of: July 2010
2010-07-01
Apple iPhone 4 bumper demand 'on the rise'
Online billing solutions providers may have found themselves overwhelmed with Apple iPhone bumper case purchases this last week.
Online billing solutions providers may have found themselves overwhelmed with Apple iPhone bumper case purchases this last week.
Concern over the new iPhone 4's poor reception when held in a particular way by users has prompted owners to search for potential solutions to the problem.
Tests carried out by AnandTech last week pointed out that putting the device in a bumper case results in signal strength improvement "on par if not better than other phones".
News appears to have travelled fast, with prices having been driven up as owners attempt to get their hands on this highly sought-after signal strength enhancer.
Direct merchant account holders on the likes of eBay have no doubt been capitalising on the delayed shipments of the bumper casings by Apple.
Buy It Now offers on eBay mainly range from $39.99 (£27) to $49.99 for the bumper case, with some priced as high as $59.99.
read more 2010-07-01
EBay merchant account boost through new BlackBerry app?
EBay sellers will be able to access their direct merchant account on the website directly through a new free application designed for BlackBerry smartphones.
EBay sellers will be able to access their direct merchant account on the website directly through a new free application designed for BlackBerry smartphones.
The new software download has been developed by the company behind BlackBerry devices, Research In Motion (RIM) and will enable sellers to list items directly within the app.
Buyers will also be able to make use of the software, which will be available for download in Australia, France, Italy, Spain and the UK. It is also available in the US and Canada, following a successful beta trial.
Commenting on the launch of the new platform, eBay vice president of platform business solutions Steve Yankovich explained that the app would expand eBay's mobile presence to millions more customers.
He said: "When developing any mobile application, we take into account the unique features and advantages of the device to better meet our customers' needs.
"EBay buyers and sellers are able to stay up-to-date on great deals and sales."
Smartphone firms such as RIM are continually looking for ways to enhance their consumer products in light of the growing competition among different devices.
A recent poll by PC Advisor magazine indicated that the popularity of the BlackBerry smartphone is falling behind the Apple iPhone.
Nearly a quarter of those polled admitted to owning an iPhone, reflecting an increase when compared to a similar survey by the publication in April 2009. 
read more 2010-07-01
Brits 'addicted' to mobile internet shopping
British men and women appear addicted to online shopping and making credit card processing purchases using their mobile.
British men and women appear addicted to online shopping and making credit card processing purchases using their mobile.
In an article for the Register, Bill Ray points to eBay figures which indicate that men aged between 26 and 30 years old are the biggest culprits.
The majority of sales are for fashion items, such as shoes, sporting goods and clothes, which he suggests is due to "punters walking round a physical shop and comparing prices to what they can get online".
However, he also hints that sales using mobiles may increase when people are sat watching a programme with their partner on the television that they may not enjoy.
This makes an application that allows access to a direct merchant account on a mobile particularly appealing to online sales sites as well as to customers, who will be keen to make hassle-free purchases.
The company behind BlackBerry, Research In Motion, has done just that - creating a new eBay application for buyers and sellers that enables items to be listed via mobile and also provides access to enhanced seller information.
read more 2010-07-02
Firms plan more online payment processing capabilities
Online payment processing is going to be an increasingly important part of mobile offerings, according to a new survey.
Online payment processing is going to be an increasingly important part of mobile offerings, according to a new survey.
According to the Annual Kony Mobile Survey of Fortune 500 companies, most firms plan to incorporate sales and commerce capabilities into mobile offerings.
Kony's Sophie Vu told Mobile Commerce Daily: "Large corporations and Fortune 500 companies are beginning to truly understand the potential of the mobile channel to offer a new revenue stream by capturing the attention of consumers where they are when they are ready to make a purchase."
Kony surveyed 119 large corporations and also found that three-quarters (75 per cent) of respondents plan to offer informational resources.
Brand awareness is an important issue for a majority of the corporations, with 61 per cent planning to use mobile offerings to increase people's knowledge of their products.
Just over half (56 per cent) intend on incorporating customer service and support into their mobile strategy.
Kony was formed in 2007 with the belief that mobile technology would revolutionise the way businesses reach customers.
read more 2010-07-05
2m more Brits online
Two million more people could be using online payment processing in the UK, according to new figures.
Two million more people could be using online payment processing in the UK, according to new figures.
The number of people using the internet in the UK increased by five per cent in the last year from 36.9 million to 38.8 million users, new figures from the UK Online Measurement
Company (UKOM) and Nielsen show.
Of the 1.9 million additional internet users, just over half (53 per cent) are aged over 50-years-old.
Men over 50 were found to be much keener than women in the same age range to get online, accounting for nearly a quarter of a million new UK internet users (38 per cent).
Speaking on behalf of UKOM and Nielsen, Alex Burmaster commented: "The internet is getting older in more ways than one. Not only is the medium itself maturing but the audience is shifting towards older age groups."
The news follows a recent survey by IMRG-Capgemini that showed online payment processing is on the up in the UK, with a 14 per cent rise in internet sales in the first half of 2010.
read more 2010-07-05
E-commerce 'more than just a bolt-on'
Online payment processing is becoming more important to traditional retailers, it has been claimed.
Online payment processing is becoming more important to traditional retailers, it has been claimed.
According to the Kantar Retail analysis of the top 20 most valuable global retail brands, e-commerce is no longer just a good way to top up sales.
Commenting on the report, Michael Ross, director and co-founder of leading e-commerce solution provider eCommera, said: "Organisations that still regard e-commerce as a bolt-on are squandering a major opportunity to gain insight and grow revenue and profit.
"In today's slow-growth economy, e-commerce needs to be an integral part of any retail enterprise."
Firms need to think differently in order to maximise the potential of e-commerce, he added.
In a recent blog post on eCommera's website, Mr Ross claimed that few retailers realise just how different e-commerce is from traditional retail.
read more 2010-07-05
Businesses 'need to be aware of online opportunities'
Online payment processing opportunities for UK firms need to better exploited, according one internet expert.
Online payment processing opportunities for UK firms need to better exploited, according one internet expert.
Google UK chief executive Matt Brittin believes that business could do more to gain from the opportunities in online retail, the Daily Telegraph reports.
He spoke to the paper in a wide ranging interview about the changing face the online world and said that a huge amount still needs to be done to educate people about what the internet can do.
"We're in a really interesting transition. Retailers need to understand how much what they're doing online drives their in-store sales," he said.
"The proportion of people making their mind up about what they're going to buy while in a store has fallen dramatically – from 40 per cent to 17 per cent."
His comments follow those of professor Joshua Bramfield, director of the Centre for Retail Research, who claimed that while online retail will continue to grow it will never replace the traditional high street store.
read more 2010-07-06
E-retailers told to adapt to the weather
As the British summer ebbs away, companies that accept credit cards online have been advised to adapt to the different weather conditions.
As the British summer ebbs away, companies that accept credit cards online have been advised to adapt to the different weather conditions.
Analyst firm Mintel says that the inevitable end of good weather and England's World Cup exit need not mean a decline in retail sales for high street stores or for e-retailers that accept credit cards online.
Richard Caines, senior retail analyst for Mintel, explained: "If the weather is too hot more people will head for the beach or stay in their gardens rather than go shopping for general merchandise.
"The most successful retailers will be those who can respond quickly to changes in the weather."
His comments come in the wake of retail sales figures released by the Office for National Statistics, which showed an upturn in the month of May.
Commenting at the time, British Retail Consortium director-general Stephen Robertson said that sunny weather in May encouraged spending on clothing, footwear, gardening and outdoor DIY.
read more 2010-07-06
UK firms 'face online payment procesing problems'
Four in five (79 per cent) internet retailers do not feel their online payment processing systems are up to scratch to cope with cross-border transactions, new research by Dynamic Markets has found.
Four in five (79 per cent) internet retailers do not feel their online payment processing systems are up to scratch to cope with cross-border transactions, new research by Dynamic Markets has found.
The Paypers reports that while many online merchants plan to expand into Europe, most do not feel their online billing solutions can manage.
A third (30 per cent) of respondents plan to expand into the growing customer-not-present (CNP) market in Europe, but note that cross-border sales need the ability to deal with a range of payment methods.
CNP processing was found to be disjointed in nine out of ten (86 per cent) firms that had expanded into foreign markets by way of a merger or acquisition.
The news follows comments made by Google UK chief executive Matt Brittin in the Daily Telegraph.
He said firms need to be aware of the importance of their online operations and how these impact on sales.
read more 2010-07-06
Mobile phone contracts 'are confusing'
People who use mobile phones for purchasing goods from firms that accept credit cards online could be among a significant proportion of those who say they are confused by mobile phone contracts.
People who use mobile phones for purchasing goods from firms that accept credit cards online could be among a significant proportion of those who say they are confused by mobile phone contracts.
Mobile phone contracts confuse subscribers because they can be very difficult to compare, mobile phones editor at CNET UK Flora Graham has claimed.
Her comments follow a survey from Top10.com that found that 42 per cent of Brits are confused by mobile contracts.
"Once you want to compare contacts you have to think that some have different lengths some include unlimited internet, some have different types of limits put on them," Ms Graham said.
"I think to get a good understanding of your general usage is quite difficult."
The Top10.com report also noted that 46 per cent of people worry they are on the wrong tariff and getting overcharged.
It noted that switching tariffs could save people an average of £62 per year.
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