Online retailer Net-A-Porter is increasing its mobile efforts with the launch of two applications that blend content with commerce. Net-A-Porter’s digital magazine The Edit has a new shoppable app, while a social shopping network from the retailer, called The Net Set, is debuting May 13. For Net-A-Porter’s digital-savvy audience, these mobile apps give consumers more ways and choices of how to interact and shop. “We already have built dedicated shopping apps for Net-A-Porter, and have amassed over 2.8 million downloads,” said Sarah Watson, vice president of The Net Set. “Additionally, we have grown a social following of over 4.1 million across …

There is a plethora of articles written about Bitcoin every week. I find it difficult to see all its legs at once, in one article or a few articles. Some people have asked me this question – where are we really with Bitcoin? I thought of answering it today with the following article and the infographic below. You would have read about Bitcoin startups, product launches, investments flowing into this sector and many more developments. You would probably have also read about the negative side of things – theft, closure of exchanges, and the bitcoin price taking a hit. I am sure …

Vodafone M-Pesa and MTN Mobile Money, two of the biggest mobile money operators in Africa have announced an agreement to join forces, allowing customers to transfer funds between the two services. The deal means that M-Pesa customers in Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo and Mozambique will be able to transfer money to and from MTN Mobile Money customers in Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia. M-Pesa allows customers to send and receive money via mobile, without the need for a bank account. It was launched in 2007 by Safaricom and has nearly 20 million customers.

Visa continues to expand the availability of mobile payments services in Europe, as the credit card company strives to keep up with consumers who want to be able to pay simply wherever they are, with whatever device they choose. The expansion taking effect next month adds Arcadia Group’s Topshop as well as Iceland, bathstore and Costco.co.uk, to the roster of brands that will accept the V.me payment service. The launch comes as the mobile payments space grows increasingly crowded, accelerated by the recent introduction of Apple Pay and the mobile payments-enabling Apple Watch.

About $70 billion of market value has evaporated since Ma made that statement in November as investors worry about slowing growth. Alibaba’s dominance at home as a marketplace for buyers and sellers of goods is being undermined by a Chinese economy projected to grow at the slowest pace since 1990 and a consumer shift to mobile shopping that crimps advertising revenue. Ma’s push outside China also has yet to gain traction -- its presence in the U.S. and much of Europe remains negligible. Results due Thursday are expected to show that the pace of Alibaba’s revenue expansion fell below the average …

U.S. fashion label Michael Kors is reminding readers of New York magazine’s The Cut of their Mother’s Day obligations through a mobile advertisement. The straightforward ad invites readers to shop for sales on the brand’s mobile-optimized Web site. Mother’s Day, like many holidays, tends to approach unnoticed for many consumers, resulting in frantic last-minute shopping, so the mobile ad will likely be appreciated by those lost in the weekly haze who need a spur. “Mother’s Day can certainly stimulate last minute sales from a mobile ad,” said Simon Buckingham, CEO of Appitalism, New York.

Paytm’s mobile wallet will soon be accepted at quick service restaurants (QSRs), including Domino’s and Cafe Coffee Day, as the Alibaba-backed company forays into the offline retail space in the next two months. At present, Paytm offers and recharge services for DTH and mobile phone services as well as mobile wallet services for online transactions on Uber, Bookmyshow, eBay and IRCTC. A mobile wallet is a prepaid payment instrument, which allows customers to digitally store money in a secure virtual wallet and use it to pay bills and other services. “We are now foraying into the offline space. We …

Apartments.com, a site that matches apartment seekers with units and provides property managers with a marketing platform, appears to be reaping the benefits of its recent mobile ramp-up, boosted by a campaign on Huffington Post, as sales and traffic to its site surge. As more consumers search for residences on mobile, having a strong presence here is critical for brands such as Apartments.com and could be helping drive its recent jump during March to No. 1 in traffic versus other apartment rental sites and an eightfold sales surge. The results provide evidence why businesses need to treat mobile as a must-have rather …

Precision cut-crystal maker Swarovski is elevating the customer experience across channels with a new rewards mobile application. Loyalty programs become effective when consumers use them frequently and for a range of purposes. Swarovski is ensuring regular use with “Sparkly” rewards or “Sparklisms” that can be earned for a variety of activities and exchanged for prizes. “Apps are important in retail, but to me, choice is the killer app,” said Jeff Hasen, a Seattle-based mobile marketing strategist. “Successful retailers like Macy’s provide multiple ways to engage.

GE Lighting and Qualcomm Atheros, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc., have announced a collaboration to bring indoor positioning technology to retailers, allowing the retailers to pinpoint shoppers’ locations and use mobile apps to personalize the in-store experience. The technology, which is embedded in new GE commercial LED bulbs, creates unique pulse patterns to “talk” to shoppers’ smartphones and tablets. It identifies the location of shoppers inside the store within centimeters, and then allows the retailer to send messages to the shoppers based on their location. This high-accuracy, real-time connection will allow retailers to combine contextual information with location to create revolutionary new …