With the amazing rate at which mobile payments are growing, they are well on their way to replacing hard currency and even plastics as the main way of monetary exchange. With major improvements in security, we have seen an increase in the use of mobile transfers of funds and transactions for goods and services purchased.
Instead of the consumer paying with cash, credit cards or checks, they can use their mobile phone to pay for items such as online game subscriptions, music, cell phone wallpaper, ringtones, magazines, books, tickets and transportation fares.
The increase with making mobile payments is partly due to the benefit is has for the user. For a retailer, the benefits are evident. Because the retailer has the ability to perform credit card processing as a means of payment through a smartphone and other wireless devices, it enables them to think more creatively about new retail platforms.
For the user, the many benefit include ease of use and convenience of these new payment methods. Think about going to an event that draws in a huge crowd. Because the area is so dense, many people attending might want to leave their wallets in the car or at home for fear of it being lost or stolen. However, almost all these same people will carry their smartphones to have a means of communication and to take photos or a video of the event. Imagine if those people walk up to a souvenir stand and find something that they want to purchase at a nearby kiosk. Because they have their smartphone, they can conveniently pay for the item that very moment.
Other than the great convenience this type of payment process allows, some smartphones have special features and applications that allow a person to track merchant account payments made. This allows the user to see the amount of their purchases already made using their smartphone, and it allows them to see how much money they have left to buy even more items.
There are several more benefits and advantages that one can have when they shift to making mobile payments. With the amazing growth in popularity, it is creating a huge impact on the market today.