The NFC will not be standardized in 2013. This is how categorical they are from PayPal. The company dedicated to electronic commerce knows that payments have been experiencing a revolution in recent years and that people are changing the way they spend money, but they do not trust the Near Field Communication as one of the standards to follow in the near future.
What problems do you see with this system? That, really, it is not solving any problem that consumers have, nor is it adding any value to make it an option to take into account when paying. Is it easier to hold the mobile phone close to a terminal that can read it than to use a credit card? Although it is true that the NFC is still taking its first steps, some experiences already put all its possibilities on the table.
What they are a little more convinced of is that consumer loyalty will be a value that will be rewarded. Coupons and gifts will reward customers who remain loyal to the brands, thus creating a bond that, just a few years ago, was impossible to see.
For them to prosper, mobile payments they will have to offer something more than the traditional ones, eliminating complications and making everything easier for the consumer. So that’s where the need for technology to be both effective and simple comes in. Once this is resolved, the important thing is that it remains in the background, because, after all, the important thing is to buy.
Mobile, mobile and more mobile
The clearest trend and the one in which they agree with many other experts is the mobile. It seems that this is going to be one of the keys of the coming year. In the future, it will be possible to pay in a store without having to go through the traditional checkout: workers will be able to collect from the aisle or fitting room. Will we end the queues by paying from anywhere in the establishment?
But the most interesting thing is what we still do not know, what is yet to come. The local will gain strength, even more than what we have already seen, and contextualized purchases will make a difference. They will do it soon and in a way that few can yet imagine. PayPal believes that 2013 will be the time when there will be a radical change in the way we buy and pay. Will they be right or will we have to wait a little longer?
Image | IntrepidousGroup
