For every dollar spent in the App Store, Apple gets 30 cents. It’s a simple fact, but one worth remembering today, as Apple announces record sales figures for the App Store. The company says that billings rose 50 percent in 2014 with developers taking more than $10 billion in revenue from apps and in-app purchases throughout the year. Only eight days into 2015, and the App Store has broken two more records: the single biggest day ever on New Year’s Day, and its best week ever — with nearly half a billion dollars spent in the first seven days of January. This means …

E-commerce is gaining momentum in China, especially as more people acquire smartphones and tablets. A growing number of Chinese consumers are beginning to rely on their mobile devices to accomplish all of their shopping. This is particularly the case among those with busy schedules and those with new families. The growing popularity of mobile commerce has also introduced new trends to the Chinese commerce space, one of which involves Chinese consumers purchasing everyday products from foreign countries. China is home to more than 450 million smartphone users, the largest mobile population in the world. This has created an environment in which mobile commerce can …

The future of mobile payments is still somewhat uncertain, despite the growing popularity of mobile commerce. In 2015, there may be many changes seen in the mobile payments space, especially as new services become available and more people become comfortable with the idea of paying for goods and services from their phones. Security may become a major issue in 2015 as organizations specializing in mobile commerce begin to take steps to ensure that consumer information is safe from exploitation. Much of the conversation regarding mobile payments is likely to revolve around Apple Pay this year. According to a recent report from Forrester …

The world’s biggest toy show is just around the corner. And Spielwarenmesse, organizer of the 2015 German International Fair in Nürnberg, is hard at work to ensure all 75,000 expected visitors will feel right at home on January 28. To help attendees — especially first-timers — navigate the 2,700+ exhibitors and the more than one million products, Spielwarenmesse has introduced a free downloadable app for Apple, Google Android and Windows Phone 8 users.

While the rise of geo-conquesting, navigational applications and an increase in sophisticated data have made campaigns from brands such as Toys “R” Us, adidas and Jack in the Box stand out in the mobile space, the number of ill-conceived location-based messages that have alienated consumers should give marketers pause about the risks of overdoing location targeting. The issue becomes more prominent as marketers go beyond driving in-store traffic and instead use branded apps, search and integrations into third-party navigational apps such as Waze to lure interested consumers. Misfiring campaigns stemming from overuse of location-based tactics suggests a big challenge for marketers in …

Some of the largest ecommerce brands are seeing 25 percent of ecommerce video plays coming from mobile devices, up from 19 percent a year ago, a new analysis by Liveclicker shows. The company surveyed retailers such as Best Buy, Newegg, Online Shoes and Under Armour who are using its VideoCommerce platform and found that mobile’s role is growing in how consumers are leveraging video during the path to purchase. Mobile video plays an even bigger role in certain verticals such as personal care and jewelry.

As mobile receipts-based promotions begin to mature, early adopters are taking the strategy to the next level by integrating with their loyalty initiatives and using it to measure the return on investment for different media channels. Walmart’s receipts push continues to draw the attention of big brands interested in leveraging the convenience of mobile and the retailer’s large customer to drive engagement and collect important shopper data.  These promotions as well as others from Sunoco and Healthy Choice all leverage the Snipp Interactive platform, with a number of these marketers repeat customers for Snipp, suggesting that mobile-based receipt promotions are proving …

ChannelAdvisor has released its latest report concerning the performance of online marketplaces during the holiday season. Companies like Amazon and eBay have performed well during the 2014 holiday season, particularly because of their focus on mobile commerce. According to the report from ChannelAdvisor, online marketplaces say a 16.2% increase in digital sales during the holidays. Much of this growth came from mobile shopping, as consumers opted to use their smartphones and tablets to purchase products rather than visit physical stores. Amazon saw a 26% increase in sales among same-store merchants. These merchants fall into the category of those that have been selling …

Amid posters about the library’s family-friendly services and upcoming programming, the banners urge patrons to do something a bit uncharacteristic for a nearly 100-year-old institution: download an iBeacon app. In November, the library implemented BluuBeam, an Orlando-based service that usesiBeacon technology to send location-triggered information to patrons. Visitors who download the app get an alert about library offers and events. So, for example, if you’re searching the third floor stacks for a Julia Child cookbook, you’ll receive a message about the library’s Cuisine Corner program that features cooking demos by local chefs.

Taco Bell is driving downloads of its mobile application and ramping up awareness of its mobile ordering function by tempting customers with a free Doritos Locos Taco with each mobile purchase made this month. The fast food brand will be giving away up to one million free tacos up to Jan. 31 in an effort to thank loyal customers and users of its mobile app. Taco Bell rolled out mobile ordering and a mobile payment solution in late 2014 to offer customers the convenience of ordering before arrival at a bricks-and-mortar restaurant and to provide a slew of customization options.