Despite making up a smaller portion of the smartphone user base, iOS users constitute the majority of the mobile commerce market, according to new research from EPiServer into the mobile buying habits of smartphone and tablet owners in the U.K., across iOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry devices. The survey of 1,000 U.K. adults who own smartphones and tablets reveals that 66 percent of iPhone users are making purchases via mobile sites at least once a month, compared to only 47 percent of those with an Android smartphone. iPhone owners are also the most frequent shoppers, with 1 in 10 making …

A gaggle of new statistics relating to m-commerce have emerged so far this month from various sources, showing just how important the ability to carry out safe shopping online from a portable device has become for Brits. In a survey conducted by xAd and Telmetrics, it was revealed that although the vast majority of people in the UK have a desktop or laptop PC available to them at home, 60 per cent still choose to use their smartphone when browsing the web and shopping online while they are around the house. Forty six per cent said that they would choose …

Pizza Hut and Staples are among the merchants preparing to accept a new payment option from Visa that promises to streamline mobile checkout by digitizing consumers' credit cards. The new offering from Visa seeks to make payment easier by storing credit-card information online so that e-payments can be made on participating merchants' Web sites without entering anything other than a name and password. It is replacing Visa's previous efforts to roll out a mobile wallet through the V.me offering.

If you thought that Chrome was the only app from Google to get an update yesterday, you are in for a surprise. The company announced some new features for the Google Wallet app for both Android and IOS. First up, Google has enabled customers to store gift cards in the wallet app. Users just need to snap an image of the barcode on the card or type in the details. Users can also check the balance of some cards and even receive reminders on their phone when they are near certain stores. An impressive list of retailers are supporting the …

Two thirds (66%) of iPhone users - 11.6m people - buy items via mobile sites at least once a month, compared with less than half (47%) of Android smartphone owners. The survey of 1,000 smartphone- and tablet-owing UK adults conducted by OnePoll found that iPhone owners were also the most frequent shoppers; one in 10 makes a purchase via their mobile every day. Despite Android's larger smartphone user base in the UK, 44% compared with 38% for the iPhone, iOS is still the dominant platform for shopping. Apple owners account for 46% of the 25.5 million UK consumers making mobile …

"Discovery to purchase" enablement is a strong value proposition, and Groupon knows that. Groupon officially launched its Groupon Payments credit-card-processing service in September 2012. The service's unique selling point was based on pricing, customer service and reliable card readers. Why? Because Groupon is in the coupons/deals market, and those need to be redeemed to complete the commerce cycle. It bought Breadcrumb so customers could redeem Groupon vouchers with a single tap at supported POS. Also, several companies, including GrubHub and PayPal, have been trying to change the dining-checkout experience. It is also believed that Groupon acquired a company called FeeFighters …

Savvy merchants such as OpenTable and SeaWorld are overcoming the challenge of getting consumers to adopt a mobile wallet by offering points or differentiated rewards only available for mobile wallet users. In the United States as well as other markets, mobile wallets have yet to take off in a meaningful manner, mainly because the wallet providers are struggling to create added value that appeals to customers against traditional payment schemes like credit cards.

Apple's iBeacon technology increasingly excites marketers, especially those who see the technology as a way to drive responsive mobile experiences that delight visitors in sports stadiums and keep them loyal, but SMS still has an important role to play. Fifteen months after its widely chronicled rollout, the platform's early popularity also has called into question the need for SMS programs that have underpinned in-stadium marketing programs for years. However, the technologies' differing strengths and weaknesses suggest iBeacons can be an extra tool that rounds out the fan experience.

The FashionLoyal application is being released on the Apple iTunes Store for fashion enthusiasts to become better involved with their favorite apparel brands. FashionLoyal allows global fashion fans to interact and engage with brands through a social currency. The app allows consumers to browse, share and shop in one location and gives brands a confined space to interact with consumers that will likely create a stronger bond.

The buzz in the Chinese payments industry has been increasing. Below are three important developments. China Post is looking to invest CNY100 million in mobile- and web-based payment services. An application filed by China Post's Chingqing operation and management department and accepted by the People's Bank of China shows that China Post intends to run independent operations to enable internet and mobile phone payments. It intends to independently develop the system and take responsibility for maintaining and upgrading it.