The i-mode’s TV function, One-Seg, has impressive image quality
Japanese mobile commerce began in 1999, when NTT DoCoMo, a top Japanese mobile carrier, introduced the concept. Since then, the market has grown rapidly year-to-year. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications says that mobile commerce will account for 400 billion YEN ($3.42 billion) in revenue in 2007.
A major group fueling the mobile shopping phenomenon is Japanese women, many of whom are increasingly using their handsets to browse and buy products from popular retailers like Chanel and Coach while on the go. Users log-on to DoCoMo’s main portal site, i-mode, where they can utilize categorized menus and search functions to help them find their favorite brands. Customers are then given the opportunity to purchase items on their mobile device.
One of the biggest features of the i-mode site is its payment system. NTT DoCoMo collects user payments for vendors, reassuring customers that their transactions are safe. The money is automatically paid as an information fee on the invoice, so if users find something wrong with their order, they can get their money back.
Many Japanese women are hooked on mobile shopping because prices are much lower than they’ll typically find at stores or even online. My new Louis Vuitton wallet runs for 65,000YEN ($567) at the store, but I bought it on my mobile for 38,700YEN ($338)! What a good deal!
According to MMD Research, 23% of products bought via cell phone shops are for gifts. Don’t have time to do your holiday shopping? You could wait until the ride home!
-Daisuke Kitamoto, NGT correspondent from FH Tokyo
0 responses so far ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.
Leave a Comment