Wallet inertia
When we've written about mobile wallet technology in the past its been met with a mixture of cautious optimism and outright scepticism, but at least it was being discussed. Outside the rarefied atmosphere of mobile-device/HEXUS, however, it seems you're lucky if people have even heard of it.
That was the one of the not especially surprising findings of a new study from YouGov into UK perceptions of mobile wallet technology. It found 70 percent of consumers had never heard of it and 91 percent had never heard of NFC (near field communications).
Only a quarter of people are actively interested in paying for stuff using their mobile phones, but over a third admitted they had no idea if their current phone was capable of it. Furthermore 69 percent of people who have NFC technology on their credit cards never use it.
"Many consumers are attracted by the idea of paying for items via their mobile phone," said YouGov consultant Russell Feldman. "But it is down to mobile operators and handset manufacturers to work with retailers to educate consumers about the real advantages of paying for items in this way. We believe once people have seen it in practice - and are reassured about the measures in place to protect their financial and personal security - they will be quick to adopt it and the industry will reap the rewards."
Here's a table showing the reasons given for not seeking out an NFC-enabled phone.
