Retail in Asia –04 Mar
GSMA survey identifies 30m active mobile money customers in 2012
http://www.retailinasia.com/article/tech/technology/2013/03/gsma-survey-identifies-30m-active-mobile-money-customers-2012
The number of active mobile money users globally grew impressively in 2012, with more than 30 million people undertaking 224.2 million transactions totaling $4.6 billion during the month of June 2012 alone.
GSMA’s Mobile Money for the Unbanked (MMU) program, which released the figures in a recent report, said the industry is also becoming increasingly competitive, with 40 markets identified as having at least two different mobile money services available. In 2012, about 41 live mobile money services were launched.
“The social impact of mobile money is already well documented, and our report last year offered the first global benchmarks on how many customers were using mobile money,” said Chris Locke, Managing Director, GSMA Mobile for Development.
“Following our second Mobile Money Adoption Survey, we are able to share deeper insights on the number of customers, on how customers are actually using the service and, perhaps more importantly, on how successfuloperators are positioning and managing mobile money to meet the needs of those customers.”
The GSMA report counted 81.8 million registered customers globally and with the total number of deployments on a global basis growing by almost 38 percent. Interestingly, it showed that there are now more mobile money accounts than bank accounts in Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania and Uganda, and more mobile money agent outlets than bank branches in at least 28 countries.
In some countries, the total value of mobile money transactions is equivalent to a significant proportion of the country’s overall GDP. In June 2012, it was equivalent to more than 60 percent of GDP in Kenya, more than 30 percent of GDP in Tanzania, and more than 20 percent of GDP in Uganda.
Retail in Asia –04 Mar
Expert Opinion: Critical technology insights for today’s retail environment
http://www.retailinasia.com/article/tech/technology/2013/03/expert-opinion-critical-technology-insights-today%E2%80%99s-retail-environme
GSMA survey identifies 30m active mobile money customers in 2012
http://www.retailinasia.com/article/tech/technology/2013/03/gsma-survey-identifies-30m-active-mobile-money-customers-2012
The number of active mobile money users globally grew impressively in 2012, with more than 30 million people undertaking 224.2 million transactions totaling $4.6 billion during the month of June 2012 alone.
GSMA’s Mobile Money for the Unbanked (MMU) program, which released the figures in a recent report, said the industry is also becoming increasingly competitive, with 40 markets identified as having at least two different mobile money services available. In 2012, about 41 live mobile money services were launched.
“The social impact of mobile money is already well documented, and our report last year offered the first global benchmarks on how many customers were using mobile money,” said Chris Locke, Managing Director, GSMA Mobile for Development.
“Following our second Mobile Money Adoption Survey, we are able to share deeper insights on the number of customers, on how customers are actually using the service and, perhaps more importantly, on how successfuloperators are positioning and managing mobile money to meet the needs of those customers.”
The GSMA report counted 81.8 million registered customers globally and with the total number of deployments on a global basis growing by almost 38 percent. Interestingly, it showed that there are now more mobile money accounts than bank accounts in Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania and Uganda, and more mobile money agent outlets than bank branches in at least 28 countries.
In some countries, the total value of mobile money transactions is equivalent to a significant proportion of the country’s overall GDP. In June 2012, it was equivalent to more than 60 percent of GDP in Kenya, more than 30 percent of GDP in Tanzania, and more than 20 percent of GDP in Uganda.
Retail in Asia –04 Mar
Expert Opinion: Critical technology insights for today’s retail environment
http://www.retailinasia.com/article/tech/technology/2013/03/expert-opinion-critical-technology-insights-today%E2%80%99s-retail-environme
John Hines
Today’s retailers are exposed to an array of technologies to enhance the retail environment, such as augmented reality and Near Field Communications (NFC), and still need to think about trends such as the rise of big data and cloud 2.0. This, coupled with the move towards e-commerce and increasing consumer demand for more immersive shopping experiences, can be somewhat overwhelming for retailers.
What should retailers make of all these technology buzzwords? What are some of the key areas retailers should be looking at? Verizon Enterprise Solutions narrows it down to three key areas, and proposes a network infrastructure that can support retailers’ business as it grows, and cater to their evolving customer expectations.
Intelligent networking and connected machines for zero checkout lines
For 46 percent of Asian consumers, the growing availability of retail apps is a key driver for using their mobile device for shopping. Convenience was cited as the biggest reason for using apps to purchase services or goods, according to 57 percent of respondents. Further to that, 78 percent of Singaporean online shoppers surveyed, said that they are turning to their mobile apps to access online stores. In fact, many retailers are turning to advanced networking solutions such as Ethernet, Internet Protocol (IP) and intelligent networks to mobilize apps and to keep operations and inventories running smoothly in the back end for a seamless shopping experience for the customer.
Communications between machines and devices over high-speed wired and wireless networks is the secret sauce behind all of the innovation that is happening across the retail industry. From wireless back-up business continuity solutions to smart vending which has moved automation from labor-saving to revenue-generating, and Near Field Communications (NFC) which is allowing machines and devices to literally tap one another to communicate and transmit data, at the heart of it is having the optimal IT infrastructure in place, which will allow for growth and new opportunities for retailers and their customers.
Dynamic cloud for more nimble business operations
A survey conducted by IDC Retail Insights predicted that a third of Asia Pacific retailers will implement some form of cloud service in the next two to five years. And it’s easy to see why there’s significant movement within the retail industry toward cloud-based, on-demand solutions. Unlike many other technologies that retailers have had to adapt to meet their business needs, it is as if cloud computing was designed specifically with the cost-conscious, data-deluged retail enterprise in mind.
With cloud-based solutions, retailers can achieve savings from lower initial capital expenditures, and the usage-based pricing model used by most cloud applications aligns well with the seasonal nature of the retail business. Cloud-based technologies also provide theflexibility to scale up quickly, supporting IT deployments for everything from pop-up stores to more permanent expansions, and to scale down just as quickly when business conditions change and a new approach is needed. Simply put, the cloud enables retailers to become more nimble and experimental.
Securing the shopping experience
The more technology advances, the more critical security becomes. Central to any retailer's success is securing the intricate IT ecosystem to include all Point-of-Sale (POS) transactions processed over its network as well as any external facing properties on the Internet.
For retailers who are already using cloud-based solutions, securing the network becomes even more critical as data breaches and hacking attacks can not onlycompromise sensitive customer information but also damage the brand’s reputation.
Verizon's recent Data Breach Investigation Report's Retail Snapshot also found that the retail industry is one of the most targeted when it comes to cybercrime.
With careful planning and ongoing monitoring, retailers can ensure that their data is not compromised. It is important that retailers monitor their public-facing Web properties and channels for any potential fraudulent activities and also protect their in-store assets through mobile-device management so that only authorized employees can access sensitive information. Data encryption, constant updating of devices and anti-virus protection will also help secure data in the retail environment.
Enriching the customer experience at every opportunity is key to a retailer’s success in the coming years. As a business solutions provider to over 95 percent of Fortune 1000’s retailers, we believe that having the right underlying communications network, IT infrastructure and a strong security framework will help to set the stage for retailers to deliver an exceptional brand experience for their consumers.
Hong Kong Economic Times –04 Mar
Mobile wallets are getting more popular
手機錢包漸流行
允許電子設備之間進行非接觸式點對點資料傳輸的NFC（Near Field Communication ）近期大熱，恒生銀行也夥拍電訊盈科推出NFC流動交易服務。ABI Research估計，現時全球約有2億部附有NFC功能的手機已售出。
方健僑指，早幾年銀行對推此服務仍有保留，「如今更多手機內置NFC，銀行及營運商又準備好，相信今年會行得較快，唯一障礙是蘋果手機未附有NFC。」
Today’s retailers are exposed to an array of technologies to enhance the retail environment, such as augmented reality and Near Field Communications (NFC), and still need to think about trends such as the rise of big data and cloud 2.0. This, coupled with the move towards e-commerce and increasing consumer demand for more immersive shopping experiences, can be somewhat overwhelming for retailers.
What should retailers make of all these technology buzzwords? What are some of the key areas retailers should be looking at? Verizon Enterprise Solutions narrows it down to three key areas, and proposes a network infrastructure that can support retailers’ business as it grows, and cater to their evolving customer expectations.
Intelligent networking and connected machines for zero checkout lines
For 46 percent of Asian consumers, the growing availability of retail apps is a key driver for using their mobile device for shopping. Convenience was cited as the biggest reason for using apps to purchase services or goods, according to 57 percent of respondents. Further to that, 78 percent of Singaporean online shoppers surveyed, said that they are turning to their mobile apps to access online stores. In fact, many retailers are turning to advanced networking solutions such as Ethernet, Internet Protocol (IP) and intelligent networks to mobilize apps and to keep operations and inventories running smoothly in the back end for a seamless shopping experience for the customer.
Communications between machines and devices over high-speed wired and wireless networks is the secret sauce behind all of the innovation that is happening across the retail industry. From wireless back-up business continuity solutions to smart vending which has moved automation from labor-saving to revenue-generating, and Near Field Communications (NFC) which is allowing machines and devices to literally tap one another to communicate and transmit data, at the heart of it is having the optimal IT infrastructure in place, which will allow for growth and new opportunities for retailers and their customers.
Dynamic cloud for more nimble business operations
A survey conducted by IDC Retail Insights predicted that a third of Asia Pacific retailers will implement some form of cloud service in the next two to five years. And it’s easy to see why there’s significant movement within the retail industry toward cloud-based, on-demand solutions. Unlike many other technologies that retailers have had to adapt to meet their business needs, it is as if cloud computing was designed specifically with the cost-conscious, data-deluged retail enterprise in mind.
With cloud-based solutions, retailers can achieve savings from lower initial capital expenditures, and the usage-based pricing model used by most cloud applications aligns well with the seasonal nature of the retail business. Cloud-based technologies also provide theflexibility to scale up quickly, supporting IT deployments for everything from pop-up stores to more permanent expansions, and to scale down just as quickly when business conditions change and a new approach is needed. Simply put, the cloud enables retailers to become more nimble and experimental.
Securing the shopping experience
The more technology advances, the more critical security becomes. Central to any retailer's success is securing the intricate IT ecosystem to include all Point-of-Sale (POS) transactions processed over its network as well as any external facing properties on the Internet.
For retailers who are already using cloud-based solutions, securing the network becomes even more critical as data breaches and hacking attacks can not onlycompromise sensitive customer information but also damage the brand’s reputation.
Verizon's recent Data Breach Investigation Report's Retail Snapshot also found that the retail industry is one of the most targeted when it comes to cybercrime.
With careful planning and ongoing monitoring, retailers can ensure that their data is not compromised. It is important that retailers monitor their public-facing Web properties and channels for any potential fraudulent activities and also protect their in-store assets through mobile-device management so that only authorized employees can access sensitive information. Data encryption, constant updating of devices and anti-virus protection will also help secure data in the retail environment.
Enriching the customer experience at every opportunity is key to a retailer’s success in the coming years. As a business solutions provider to over 95 percent of Fortune 1000’s retailers, we believe that having the right underlying communications network, IT infrastructure and a strong security framework will help to set the stage for retailers to deliver an exceptional brand experience for their consumers.
Hong Kong Economic Times –04 Mar
Mobile wallets are getting more popular
手機錢包漸流行
允許電子設備之間進行非接觸式點對點資料傳輸的NFC（Near Field Communication ）近期大熱，恒生銀行也夥拍電訊盈科推出NFC流動交易服務。ABI Research估計，現時全球約有2億部附有NFC功能的手機已售出。
方健僑指，早幾年銀行對推此服務仍有保留，「如今更多手機內置NFC，銀行及營運商又準備好，相信今年會行得較快，唯一障礙是蘋果手機未附有NFC。」
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