Does commerce hold the keys to tablet success?
It’s that magical time of year when analysts squint at endless streams of holiday sales data in an attempt to determine the general health of the economy.
Affiliate Window, a UK-based affiliate marketing network, released new data this week showing that sales through mobile devices across its network exceeded 12 per cent of all online sales for the first time in November, more than double the percentage from a year ago.
Separately, comScore, as part of its “Cyber Week” research, said digital content and subscriptions was the fastest-growing e-commerce category in November. Digital content, which includes digital book, music and video downloads, increased 25 per cent vs. a year ago.
The first data point signals a growing opportunity for publishers to add commerce functionality to their digital editions and other tablet and smartphone apps. The second supports the theory that consumers are willing to pay for digital content delivered through their mobile devices – a strong indicator for a subscription-based revenue model for tablets. This year, two-thirds of mobile revenues are expected to come from apps, the rest from advertising, according to KPCB.
Collectively, along with expectations that tablet and smartphone growth is a long way from peaking, the data shows a budding mobile economy that publishers can’t ignore.
