13 Million Social Media Conversations Show What Consumers Think about Mobile Payments

From “Why Mobile Payments” to Which One, Consumer “Adopters” Are Driving Merchant Acceptance According to the Second Annual MasterCard Study

PURCHASE, N.Y. – MasterCard (NYSE:MA) and PRIME Research released the second annual global MasterCard Mobile Payments Study, which tracked more than 13 million social media comments across Twitter, Facebook, online blogs and forums around the world. The study shows improved sentiment toward mobile payments and rapid growth in consumer use and merchant acceptance. Merchants carry an 88 percent positive rating with many touting mobile acceptance as a competitive advantage. As consumers increasingly turn to mobile options, merchants reluctant to accept these payments may find themselves at a disadvantage.

“which mobile payment option should be used?”

The research points to 2013 as the year mobile payments transitioned from “concept to adoption.” “Adopters,” or those who have used mobile payments, drove 81 percent of conversations in 2013. This finding is a reversal from 2012 when only 32 percent of those discussing mobile payments had used a product. While security concerns around mobile payments still exist, the study demonstrates that consumers and merchants have moved from “why use mobile payments?” to “which mobile payment option should be used?” In fact, 2014 may be the year when long-term mobile brand and shopping allegiances are formed, which means those considering mobile payments may be well served by getting on board.

Consumers Adopt Mobile Payment Solutions:

• Adoption In, Confusion Out: Confusion over mobile payment options found in the 2012 study has been replaced by discussions focusing on the quality and staying power of various products. The research shows consumers have moved from questioning whether to use mobile payments (the third most discussed topic in 2012) to deciding which mobile payments option to use (the second most discussed topic in 2013).
• Significant Conversation Changes: Adopters now drive most of the conversation (81 percent). Non-Adopters drove 68 percent of the conversations in 2012. This indicates that consumers have shifted from discussing mobile payments to trying out various options.
• More Positive Conversations: Sentiment towards mobile payments improved significantly among Adopters (74 percent in 2013, 58 percent in 2012). Non-Adopters remained positive (79 percent in 2013, 76 percent in 2012). This demonstrates that the user experience, technical quality and acceptance network are improving for consumers.
• Experience Improving but More can be Done: Consumer sentiment towards the transaction experience improved (63 percent in 2013 from 34 percent in 2012). The experience, however, still remains an opportunity for improvement as it ranks as high as a frustration point for users.

Momentum for Merchants:

• Acceptance Matters: Merchant acceptance is the most visible topic, generating 15 percent of the total conversation and 48 percent of merchant conversation specifically. The research shows that both consumers and merchants are supportive of mobile payments (86 percent), which will likely lead to more merchant adoption in 2014. In fact, merchant availability went from a barrier to entry for non-adopters in 2012 to the most often discussed positive topic overall in 2013.
• Merchant Engagement: Merchants account for 22 percent of conversations and carry an 88 percent positive sentiment rate. The research found nearly 90 percent of merchant conversations are driven by those who have implemented mobile solutions. Non-adopting merchants are predominantly turning to social media to seek mobile payments advice from other merchants.
• Convenient Solution: Merchants accepting mobile payments tout convenience as a key driver with a 97 percent positive/neutral rating. The research indicates merchants are discussing the benefits of mobile payments for both themselves and consumers in many cases as a differentiator for their business.

More Security Information is Needed:

• Confusion over Security: Consumer education efforts will be critical to the success and adoption of mobile payments. Questions about security led to a negative rating of 66 percent.
• Opportunity for Education: Despite robust security, confusion exists on how mobile technology will affect processes to reverse fraudulent and unauthorized charges. Consumers using MasterCard for mobile payments are protected from fraudulent purchases through MasterCard’s zero liability policy.

MasterCard Mobile Payments Powered by MasterPass™

MasterPass, MasterCard’s digital service, simplifies purchases made from connected devices including PCs, tablets and smartphones. Consumers can conveniently and securely store MasterCard and other branded credit, debit and prepaid card information – including products from Visa, American Express, Discover and others – address books and more. This simplifies the process of completing a transaction from any connected device, particularly those with smaller screens.

MasterPass is accepted by more than 30,000 merchants including J. Crew, Brooks Brothers, Orvis, Live Nation-Ticketmaster and Singapore Airlines. It is available in Australia, Canada, Italy, United Kingdom and United States, and, in the near future, will expand to Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Italy, Israel, Netherlands, Singapore and Spain among others.

About the Study

PRIME Research conducted the Mobile Payments Study across 56 markets and 26 languages in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim to assess people’s use of products, adoption willingness and sentiment toward existing options. Using PRIME’s proprietary social media analytics methods and technology, the research firm identified 13 million relevant social media posts from March 2013 to December 2013 on the subject of mobile payment innovation in the context of MasterCard and its industry peers; sentiment analysis shows the majority of posts were driven by news-story sharing 92% positive/factual, only 8% negative tone overall which is a reflection of the original content as it appeared in traditional news outlets. Within the 13 million posts, 5000 more substantive comments were subjected to PRIME Research’s more granular expert human-content analysis.

Find a complete list of MasterCard’s news announcements from Mobile World Congress in our Digital Press Kit and follow us @MasterCardNews to join the conversation.

About PRIME Research

PRIME Research, www.prime-research.com, provides research-based corporate and brand reputation counseling based on trends uncovered through social and traditional media content analysis. The firm, with offices around the world, marries the speed and consistency of technology with the insights and local cultural sensitivity derived from its international staff of 600 analysts and consultants.

About MasterCard

MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.