Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

More than 25 percent of U.S. smartphone owners use payment apps at least once a month, according to recent data compiled by Dallas-based research and consulting firm Parks Associates.

The firm said more than three million retailers now accept popular payment services like Apple Pay and Android Pay, but its data indicates consumers currently prefer retailer-specific applications.

"To be frank, I think this has a lot to do with consumers' loyalty to certain brands," said Harry Wang, director of mobile and health research with Parks Associates. "If you have a strong loyalty to the brands, you're more likely to shop at the place and you want to experience the brand in every angle possible, and the payment is part of the experience. Especially if a retailer includes loyalty cards and discounts to consumers that provide more incentive to use those applications."

From the article "Experts: Wal-Mart Pay Needs Perks" by Robbie Neiswanger.

Previously In The News

Feds break up alleged streaming password theft scheme

Netflix and other streaming services have dealt with a variety of password-stealing schemes and other scams for years. Netflix announced earlier this year it was trying to crack down on password-shari...

21 Smart Speaker Superpowers

Almost unheard of as recently as five years ago, smart speakers are on their way to becoming as ubiquitous as the microwave. As of early 2019, a third of U.S. homes with high-speed internet access had...

They Started With $10,000. Now They're Taking on ESPN

It's no wonder that OTT is on everyone's mind. In 2016, Major League Baseball's streaming service, MLB.TV, was the fourth-most popular streaming service in the U.S., after Net­flix, Hulu, and Amazon P...

The Smart Money: Demand for Security at an All-Time High

Security system use is particularly common in multi-dwelling properties. Parks Associates research shows that 41% of multi-dwelling unit (MDU) property managers have a security/access system for commo...