After passing the halfway point for smartphone penetration, mobile commerce is nearing a benchmark of its own. The question is how consumers ultimately use their mobile devices while they shop, whether by someone's app or reaching a website much like they would from a PC.

Some interesting issues are raised by a new study that analyzed the reviews of the apps of major retailers. The reality is that the mobile app is only one part of a company's overall approach to mobile, with some of the components happening before the store visit and as part of customer relationship and engagement.

The idea of mobile payments being used for such as a bottle of soda, was raised during the Mobile World congress in Barcelona this week. While credit card titans Visa and MasterCard were moving ahead on their own initiatives, a leader at one brand had some thoughts on using mobile for transactions.

A new study indicates that a higher percentage of tablet owners are using their devices to shop compared to smartphone owners. The research also found some other very interesting indicators of of other tablet vs smartphone behavior.

The major credit card companies are moving full-steam ahead in mobile payments. Both Visa and MasterCard introduced major global mobile payment initiatives at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week. The market will start to see these programs very soon.

A new study by Lenovo found that consumers are using smartphones in a big way during the research phase of their shopping journey. When it comes to the actual purchase, however, the mobile device of choice at the moment is more likely to be a tablet.

Retailers face both opportunity and challenge in dealing with the mobile shopper. Research shows that shoppers actually prefer going to the store to check out products and they are attracted by product availability. This mean showrooming may not be that big of an issue over time.

Near-Field Communication (NFC) is about to get a wide showing at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The question is about the future and timing of the technology in relation to mobile payments and consumer acceptance.

What is it that causes people to buy things from their smartphone? While it keeps getting easier to make a purchase, new research shows that mobile shoppers are willing to spend more, whether rationally or not.

Mobile coupons sent by SMS are desired by many consumers and the majority of women using them prefer to cash them in by displaying their phone to a cashier compared to scanning-based methods.