July 13, 2011
By the ZippyCart Content Team
It looks like the 1999 ecommerce solution boom is going to happen all over again, but this time it’s with mobile payments. Google has been working on Google Wallet for some time now, and already has an app out called Single Tap that utilizes near-field communications to process payments. Google’s vice president of commerce, Stephanie Tilenius, says:
“It’s sort of like 1999 was with e-commerce, with eBay and Amazon. We’re at the beginning of 10 years of innovation and competition.”
The new arsenal of Google apps hopes to jump the search giant to the top of the mobile commerce era by connecting Google+, Google Offers, Google Wallet, and the newly acquired Punchd.
Punchd was reportedly acquired by Google for a cool $10 million just a few days ago. The one year old, six employee company created an iPhone application that works as a digital punch card for participating merchants. Once you reach a certain amount of “punches” you get a special offer or discount, just like those Jamba Juice stamp cards.
Google Offers, the company’s daily deal ecommerce solution, just recently launched in New York City and San Francisco after a trial run in Portland, OR. Google has also come out to say that Google Offers will be tied into Google+, the companies new shot at a social network, as well as Google Wallet. Offers and Wallet will also be tied into other services like Maps and Search. The company hopes to make itself an all-in-one-deal-center-mobile-payment powerhouse.
The company definitely has a head start by possessing the most used mobile map system in the world. This scenario happens millions of times all over the country, and many people do it more than once a day. You’re on Google Maps looking for a bite to eat. On top of a few of the pins that display all over Portland when you type in “food,” you see a little coupon image. You tap on that, realize it’s a good deal, head to the restaurant, order your food, show them the offer, and pay with your phone. You got a great deal, didn’t have to pull out your wallet, and you didn’t have to search through a third-party daily deal ecommerce solution. How easy is that?
Google’s vision is to have everything tied into one platform. Your deals, your wallet, your social network, your email, your documents, your maps, your search – they’re all in one place. Just don’t lose your case-sensitive password, your whole life could be gone (well, close).
Elliott is native to the Seattle area and currently a Senior at the University of San Diego. With business and sales on his mind, finance is the perfect major to suit his needs. Social media, FIFA '11, and the iPad keep him on the couch staying up to date with the day's top business news.
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