Configuring Mobile Commerce Portals for Customer Retention

M-commerce entails transactions conducted via mobile telecommunications networks using communication, information, and payment devices such as mobile phones or palmtop units. Geographic positioning and location capabilities are also being added to such networks and devices. Rather than using general-purpose browsers, customers accessing mobile commerce applications often rely on specific mobile portals, or mportals. These m-portals could be specific to the device that the user has, to the communications infrastructure provider, to the financial infrastructure provider, or to other service aggregators who act as gateways to a variety of mobile services. As the experience of the iMode platform of NTT DoCoMo has already shown, the ability to connect end customers and service providers through an m-portal is a key element for the success of m-commerce. To be commercially viable, such m-portals must attract and retain customers. Success in mobile portal markets will depend on dynamic strategies that blend elements of personalization, permission, and specification of content. This chapter reviews the key differences between traditional e-commerce and the emergent m-commerce. It reviews the core concepts of personalization, permission, and content specification as they apply to e-commerce and m-commerce. The chapter presents a framework for developing effective business strategies for developing and managing mobile portals.