Mobile Contactless Payments In Europe: The Reality Beyond The NFC Hype

Many firms in the mobile and financial arena in Europe want to replicate the success of Japan's mobile contactless payments. Many of them are focusing on leveraging a standardized technology — Near Field Communication (NFC). Forrester warns that mobile contactless payments won't hit the mass market for another decade for two main reasons. First, players throughout the value chain need to iron out unclear business models. Second, consumers need to change their existing payment habits, which will take time — and they haven't yet been given any reasons to change their behavior via marketing efforts focused on the benefits of contactless payments. However, NFC is much more than a mobile payment technology. It will enable a range of applications and services from various industries, linking together mobile marketing, mobile CRM, and mobile commerce. Consumer product strategists defining their mobile contactless payment strategy should take part in pre-commercial rollouts, closely monitor the evolution of the ecosystem, and focus on services to create the context for mobile payment uptake.