07-2013

Market
Perspective

At a glance n E-commerce

is growing strongly – global sales are expected to be worth $1.29 trillion in 2013

n Retailers,

card issuers, technology companies, banks, mobile network operators and start-up companies are vying for share of online spend

n Devices

are affordable: tablets cost less than $200 and smart-phones are available at $50

n Secure

technology developments are driving mobile commerce

n Companies

are making increasing use of consumer data to inform and guide their operations

21st Century Themes

Mobile and e-commerce are reshaping consumer behaviour
Affordable tablets, smart-phones and portable computers are changing the way that consumers shop and pay, whether online or on the go. In
2012, global e-commerce sales topped the $1 trillion mark for the first time and these sales are expected to grow to $1.29 trillion in 2013.1
The proliferation of internet-connected devices is helping to create new technologies, consumer applications, personal finance services and payment options.
There will be considerable commercial opportunities linked to this changing consumer behaviour as merchants and payments companies seek to enhance their understanding of consumption patterns through analytics. The companies most able to collect and exploit unstructured data could be in a very strong position to understand the intricacies of consumer behaviour.

Mass expansion of devices, networks and software
In the race to win market share, retailers, card issuers, tech companies, banks, mobile network operators (MNO) and start-up companies are introducing new technologies and launching e-commerce and mobile services. The increasing worldwide adoption of affordable smart-phones, tablets and portable PCs is a key driver behind changes in consumer payments and transfer systems, as consumers use these devices to shop online and make