Overview
Merchant mobile pay apps are proliferating, but most lack a mix of integrated features needed to entice consumers to adopt and use them. Customers require engaging features beyond just making a payment if they are to use a merchant’s mobile pay app frequently. Features such as loyalty rewards, mobile ordering, and target marketing drive customer engagement and foster long-term customer attachment to a retail brand.
Smartphones have become a mature consumer market, and mobile apps are ubiquitous, covering practically all product and service categories. Merchants need to develop their mobile payment apps not only so smartphone users can buy things easily and but also with compelling functionality that will keep them engaged so they become steady customers. Mercator Advisory Group’s latest research note, Making Merchant Mobile Payment Apps More Engaging examines various merchant mobile apps and highlights the compelling features and functionality that drive consumer adoption. The research also examines successful mobile app features that keep customers keep coming back.
“Mobile payment apps need to be more than just transactional—they should engage and entertain the customer. For example, the Starbucks mobile app sells the experience not just the coffee,” comments Raymond Pucci, Associate Director, Research Services, at Mercator Advisory Group, and author of the research note.
This document contains 10 pages and 2 exhibits.
Companies mentioned in this research note include: Apple, Chase, Citi, CVS, Dunkin’ Donuts, Excentus, Google, IBM, Kohl’s, Lyft, MasterCard, PayPal, Samsung, Starbucks, Uber, Verifone, and Visa.
Highlights of the research note include:
- Mobile app features that drive higher adoption
- Key aspects of Starbucks mobile app
- Merchant categories best suited for mobile apps
- Current and future players in the mobile app market
Book a Meeting with the Author
Related content
2026 Credit Card Risk: Happy Days are Here Again (For Top Issuers)
The year bodes well as 2026 approaches the end of the first quarter. Economic indicators are strong, the credit card market is growing at a healthy rate, and credit cards rem...
Credit Card Databook 2026
The credit card market, which appeared to be a candidate for saturation in recent years, continues to grow amid a resilient economy. Purchase volume reached $1.28 trillion in 2025,...
Chase Bites on Apple: Big Gets Bigger (and Probably Better)
JPMorgan Chase’s deal with Goldman Sachs to take over stewardship of the Apple Card sends both banks in the direction of their greatest strengths. JPMorgan Chase knows how to run a...
Make informed decisions in a digital financial world