Buying products you see on television with a click is what t-commerce is all about. Smart TVs and connected devices like Apple TV make it possible. The idea is that you would be able to buy a shirt or accessory that you see on a television show just by selecting it and adding it to your cart on your screen. As TV moves from broadcast television to over-the-top or OTT, more consumers are getting their traditionally broadcast channels through streaming bundles like YouTube TV, Hulu or Sling TV. People are dropping cable and satellite subscription bundles for more customizable and cost-saving services that use the internet to deliver content.
As TV streaming services continue to grow subscribers, the companies providing these streaming services are still trying to make a profit. Some charge a subscription fee that varies depending on how many commercials you see. T-commerce could be another way to monetize streaming services and give them profit margins similar to traditional cable and satellite bundles. This year, most TV sets will have voice-enabled digital assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Voice control will allow for more interaction with your TV including searching and shopping.
M-commerce or mobile commerce is using your phone or another mobile device to buy items. M-commerce is done entirely on mobile devices like phones or tablets and not with desktop computers. According to Mobile Marketer, M-commerce is expected to overtake traditional ecommerce this year as the most popular way to buy online. Mobile commerce has the advantage of being fast and accessible to anyone with a phone.
Traditional retailers are attempting to gain back shoppers who window shop their stores but buy online instead. By using proximity marketing, traditional retail stores can target nearby mobile shoppers to send a message about a product offer. This can entice shoppers to buy in-store instead of online.
