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

Smart Home Devices Working Together Tops Brand Loyalty

This matters, since about a third (32%) of U.S. broadband households already own at least one connected device and a whopping 50% of households intend to purchase one in the next year, according to th...

Esports Niche Getting Bigger; 62% Play At Least An Hour Per Week

"Esports is currently a niche market, but it has the ability to engage often hard-to-reach demographics," says Hunter Sappington, a Parks research analyst, in comments accompanying the latest report....

Best Buy Acquires Senior-Focused Device Maker for $800 Million

Companies such as Google, Microsoft Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. are also competing for the market, fueled by compelling demographics. By 2020 about 45 million Americans will be caring for 117 mi...

New Research Shows We’re Now at Peak OTT

According to new research from market research and consulting company Parks Associates, the OTT space presents unique challenges for the dozens of providers in the U.S., ranging from Netflix to Showti...