Italian outerwear label Moncler is rounding out its mobile presence with an application dedicated solely to commerce. This app, the brand’s first, joins Moncler’s mobile-optimized site, which allows users to both shop and consume content. Through this app, Moncler will be able to better reach its mobile-inclined audience, allowing them to shop easily on a mobile device through a contained experience. “I think that this is just a first step for Moncler on mobile,” said Salome Sallehy, vice president of marketing & business development at Plastic Mobile, Toronto and New York.

Ford Motor is focusing on marketing vehicles not just as transportation but as a technology experience to attract millennial buyers who regard cars as an expensive burden, according to the automaker’s third annual trend report.  Among the trends Ford expects to influence consumers and brands in 2015 and beyond is buyers desiring not to be left behind with a product that has become outdated or obsolete. The predictions suggest how, in an age of constant innovation, “mobility” is outpacing the definition of the word as the concepts of transportation and communication converge.

Despite the buzz surrounding beacons, The Hershey Co. is opting to leverage SMS text messaging to activate in-store shoppers and deliver a coupon. Heading into 2015, a big focus for retailers and brands is how best to engage in-store shoppers via the smartphones in their hands with the goal of driving sales. While beacons are often pointed to as a way to accomplish this goal, they do have a few shortcomings – including limited reach – which is why marketers such as The Hershey Co. are taking another look at SMS, which can reach a broad audience on mobile.

Mobile payments firm Zapp has released the results of one of its latest surveys, questioning how many British consumers would switch banks in order to take advantage of mobile commerce services. A growing number of people in the United Kingdom are beginning to show favor formobile commerce, using their smartphones and tablets to pay for goods and services throughout the country. Some banks have not yet shown significant support for the mobile space, which may be causing a shift in consumer attitude toward alternative forms of payment. The survey found that 44% of British consumers, an estimated 21 million people, are willing …

PayClip offers Square like services in Latin American region complete with a card reader and dedicated apps. The company recently raised $5.2 Mn in a new funding round. The company had also raised $3.6 Mn from investors such as Alta Ventures, 500 Startups, Venture Lab and others. Like Square, PayClip also focuses on enabling smartphone users to accept credit/debit card payments. The company is working in contrast with growing demand for payment terminal alternatives like digital wallets, mobile based checkout, virtual currencies, etc. In developed countries like US, we already have Square, PayPal and Intuit offering dongle based mobile card-processing …

With mobile payment capabilities expected to become mainstream in 2015, competition is growing in the space with Worldpay, a global provider of payments technology and services, and its recent announcement to acquire SecureNet Payment Systems. While bigger players, such as Apple Pay, are expected to dominate this space, it is best that other players leverage their best attributes to stay in the game. To stay relevant in the mobile payments space in 2015, it was likely necessary for SecureNet and WorldPay to combine forces. “Simplify and streamline the payments experience will remain our commitment as we become part of Worldpay,” …

TouchBistro, an iPad point-of-sale solution that has integrated with many restaurants, is tapping ridesharing mobile application Uber to drive restaurant sales by offering patrons a promotional code for $20 off their first Uber ride. The partnership, which is currently being rolled out in Toronto with plans to integrate in more cities at a later date, aims to provide even more convenience to diners at TouchBistro-affiliated restaurants such as New York City’s Jack’s Sliders & Sushi and the Crosstown Pub & Grill of Naperville, IL. Participating venues will be given promotional cards with customized codes to hand out to customers, who …

Dr Pepper is teaming up with Walmart to enhance the mobile shopping experience for hosts of parties that will watch the first-ever United States college football playoffs.  The program, dubbed "The College Football Play Book," aims to help Walmart shoppers get ready to entertain guests watching Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State compete in the inaugural U.S. college football playoffs that kick off on ESPN on New Year’s Day. The shopper marketing program is the largest Dr Pepper has ever run with Walmart.

Will 2015 be a happy new year for internet users? Not if cyber-criminals have their way. Online security companies have been making predictions for 2015, from the malware that will be trying to weasel its way on to our computers and smartphones to the prospect of cyberwar involving state-sponsored hackers. Here's a summary of what you should be watching out for. The more we do and share online, the more vulnerable we may be to "targeted" attacks. "It is possible that our willingness to share and shop online will let criminals become more selective about who they target," suggests Stephen …

Consumers who didn’t get what they wanted for the holidays are taking matters into their own hands. According to new research from digital deals site RetailMeNot, 81% of consumers plan to shop end-of-year sales. Of these shoppers taking advantage of post-holiday savings, more than half (63%) plan to shop for themselves. Millennials are especially interested in after-Christmas sales, as 92% of respondents 18 to 34 years old said they plan to shop during this time. While lower prices (66%) and deals (59%) are top motivators for end-of-year shopping, nearly a quarter (23%) of survey respondents indicate they shop post-holiday sales …