Value-added services in mobile commerce: an analytical framework and empirical findings from a national consumer survey

Although little is known about consumers´ attitudes towards wireless marketing channels, many organizations are today making considerable investments to take advantage of the new business possibilities offered by wireless technologies - encouraged by optimistic, yet contradictory forecast on the future volume of m-commerce. This paper highlights the importance of setting out from the consumer perspective when developing m-commerce strategies, proposing an analytical framework that can be used to assess whether; and in what ways, specific mobile services are likely to offer added value for wireless Internet users. The paper reports on a national consumer survey conducted to investigate the Finnish consumers´ willingness to use a number of initial mobile services, and to investigate whether consumers recognize the value offered by these applications. The results indicate a rather low willingness to use mobile services in general, but an exceptionally high willingness to use certain applications. The results do not, however; support the supposition that m-commerce is likely to increase the overall volume of Internet commerce significantly by penetrating into untapped markets (non-PC users).