Online shopping is gaining popularity on the wired Internet, and despite security issues and concerns from wireless end users, ecommerce over the wireless Internet will also explode. IDC estimates the number of mcommerce subscribers will skyrocket from fewer than a thousand in 1999 to more than 29 million in 2004. Before this explosion can occur, however, mcommerce will have to overcome some hurdles. IDC believes the biggest challenge the market faces is security.
Security actually involves two main issues.
The first is confidentiality. End users will need to know that only they and the company have access to the information being exchanged. Wireless vendors can help break some of the barriers to the market's growth by making the wireless buying experience fast and easy. They should also explore payment options that don't involve users sending their credit card numbers over a wireless device. This report analyzes the opportunity for ecommerce conducted over wireless devices.