Mobile commerce, often abbreviated as m-commerce, is a term that emerged in the late 1990s. It refers to the use of wireless handheld devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, to conduct commercial transactions online. This includes purchasing and selling goods, banking, paying bills, and other financial transactions. With the advent of smartphones, m-commerce has expanded to include app commerce, which involves retail[3] transactions on native mobile applications. The evolution of m-commerce has been marked by significant milestones, from the first mobile-enabled vending machines to the development of sophisticated mobile payment systems. Today, m-commerce continues to evolve, driven by technological advancements and a focus on enhancing the user experience[1]. It is projected to play an increasingly critical role in global commerce, with a growing number of consumers and businesses adopting mobile technology[2] for their commercial needs.
The term mobile commerce was originally coined in 1997 by Kevin Duffey at the launch of the Global Mobile Commerce Forum, to mean "the delivery of electronic commerce capabilities directly into the consumer’s hand, anywhere, via wireless technology." Many choose to think of Mobile Commerce as meaning "a retail outlet in your customer’s pocket."
Mobile commerce is worth US$800 billion, with Asia representing almost half of the market.