Quick Query: Covario's Stephan Spencer on Mobile Commerce

Summary

These days more and more consumers access the Internet through their mobile phones. That’s because the new phones have the ability to connect to the web via mobile data networking services – called 3G . Of course for us, ‘the consumer’, this is a very interesting tool to use. But for the merchant it’s a possibility that brings a lot of complications with it. This possibility is selling all or most of their goods via mobile phone.


Because this new tool is a sudden change in sales, the merchant needs to adapt his website to interact and react better at changes in trade. That’s why nowadays a third party joins the trade between the consumer and the seller to transform the merchant’s website into a mobile optimized version - which is very efficient and easy to use.

In this article Stephan Spencer is such a third party. They interviewed him about his new company , of which the main goal is to transform all kinds of websites and platforms into mobile optimized pages. He explains how such a transformation works and if any platform or website is capable to undergo such a drastic transformation.

Personal opinion

I do believe that this change in trade is one of the future possibilities to make trade much easier and faster. More and more people are getting mobile phones with internet support. And more and more internet providers are making it possible that you can access the internet almost everywhere you want.

I’m also the owner of such a mobile phone; equipped with internet support, and I have to admit that it’s a very useful feature when you’re in need of information and you don’t have time to start-up your laptop or desktop. It’s also easy if you can’t get on your desktop and really needs to find an address , ...

Of course there are still some mayor problems with it , and I find it a bit raciest that only IPhone or Blackberry users can use this new application. At school we have also such an application for only IPhone users and it’s not that friendly to give them an opportunity and not every people !
All people are equal for the law, so why not for this application ?

Nicholas De Potter

http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/1679-Quick-Query-Covario-s-Stephan-Spencer-on-Mobile-Commerce

The concept of trade

To start this topic about trade, I thought it was helpful to give a further explanation to the word “trade”. I’d like to give an answer to the question : what do we know about trade ? Many people know the word but on the other hand, can these people explain the word ? A small introduction.
We have been hearing this word for the first time since we started to understand the world. But what exactly is trade ? Trade is a simple activity between two parties or several parties that involves exchange of goods and services. Always remember that trade takes place between two or several parties in the transaction.
How do we trade ? In our modern world we use money as medium to exchange goods and services. A reason why trade has become a very important term in our common world. To understand the importance of trade we have to know that trading is in existence since humanity was born. One thing is sure, trade is going to be in existence as long as people walk on this planet.
The invention of money has played an important role in simplifying and promoting the development of trade. Modern traders generally use money as medium of exchange. Trade benefits also both parties involved in the transaction.
To my opinion the world wouldn’t exist if people weren’t trading among each other. Can you imagine a life without trade ? Trade has become an indispensable part in our life, that’s for sure ! Of course there are many different ways of trading. In our topic we discuss the concept of trade in an economic view. But as you know trading is not always a positive thing, think of all the illegal practices among trading. Such as trading humans, drugs, weapons,… If we look to trade that way, the discussion is far from over ! The world still needs to develop more than we can imagine.

Jeffrey Bogaert

Source : http://www.indianchild.com/trade/trade_index.htm

The European Union offers EUR 180,000 to the WTO development fund for trade facilitation

The EU has confirmed that they will donate a large sum of money to the WTO ‘Trade Facilitation Trust Fund’. The total amount of money will be EUR 180.000 or approximately 240.000 USD. The EU has now contributed over the past few years a significant CHF 8.3 million or 5,668,827.97 EUR.

Why is this money being donated by the Europe Union? This donation will give new opportunities to third world countries who are less developed and have inhabitants with a low income. This money will be invested in the WTO trade facilitations. Because of this, these countries will be able to participate more effectively and efficiently in the global market. These facilitations look how to control governing and control procedures of the movement of goods across the borders to make them more sufficient. These actions will reduce costs and burdens for those specific countries while trading globally.
EU’s Chargé d'affaires, Mr. John Clarke accentuates that this will deliver a huge benefit to the developing countries. However, it is crucial for those countries that they will fully participate in the trade facilitation negotiations. He also tells that this action is only a part of the EU’s commitment to assist developing countries.

This action taken by the EU is of course a good thing. Whether we like it or not, we cannot longer deny that globalization is a fact. The world has become one large city. Everybody consumes products from all different countries around the world. Therefore it’s crucial to make and develop one large network to distribute goods and services sufficiently worldwide. This may of course not have a negative effect to the country that’s exporting or importing. Many less developed countries attract multinationals by their lack of laws and low loans. But this is something to avoid, this phenomenon causes low income, sad working environments and in general a low prosperity. All countries should have the same chances and opportunities. The actions, made by the EU, aim to fulfill these objectives. It helps these third world countries to develop and increase their prosperity.

But donating a large sum of money isn’t just going to do the trick. I believe it is as important to help them develop and manage their global ‘business’. They shouldn’t just let them receive the donation with no further supervision.

De Vos David

source: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres10_e/pr596_e.htm

Trade Barriers Could Threaten Global Economy

17 major nations have violated a promise which avoided protectionism. Countries such as Russia, the United-States and China have taken measures to limit the imported goods. This trend, which protect their own domestic products, is a very worrying process. Some countries do it because of revenge because they hadn’t the possibility to act freely in other countries. But this kind of protectionist measures may be worsen the crisis and our global trade. These actions could lead to reaction. In this way there could be a trade war.

I think this is a natural reaction in this period. Everyone is feeling the crisis and everyone wants to be safe. The first one they save is themselves, this is a reaction everyone would have. You could compare it to other situations for example a fire. Most of the people will look how to save themselves and if there’s an opportunity they would safe someone else.

The thing is if you do something to another the chance is big that that person will do the same to you. And this is the action-reaction we can see in this situation. It’s an action of vengeance. The thing is that mostly actions of revenge are not the actions that will help a lot! And this is also the thing we can see in this case. First it will help yourself a little, but if you look in long-term you will realize that it wasn’t the best thing to do.

I think the major nations would better sit around the table and think how to solve this problem on a diplomatic an solidaristic way. If the trade barriers are too expensive it will lead to hostility and the crisis will extend. We are in a period that we have to think in an international way. If you want to read the article that I’m talking about, you can visit following site:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/17/AR2009031703218.html.

Nico Cossyns

The American-Cuban trade embargo

Ever since the 1970’s, during the cold war, there has been a trade embargo on Cuba. During the 2008 presidential elections Obama promised the American people that he would lift the embargo in order to re-stimulate - amongst other things – the economy.


Today – the 14th of September – Obama announced the extension of the embargo by one year. The extension is motivated by the American wish for a democratic and economically free Cuba. High hopes were raised when Raul Castro took over the presidency from his brother Fidel, but thus far the only improvements in the American-Cuban relations have been easier travel possibilities and leaner financial trade restrictions for US citizens.

I’m convinced, bygones should be bygones. The cold war has ended and most feuds from that time have been buried deep under the earth. The Cuban-American problem is an ancient one which is only kept alive by tradition, not by common politic, social or economical sense. The Cuban people have been dumped into poverty by the regime and it’ll be a slow and troublesome process getting them out of it. The conditions for the of the embargo are contradictory with the actions it’s causing. In order for the country to economically improve itself, it needs to be able to trade with nearby markets without any restrictions imposed by the US. Cuba has a lot of potential, it holds a large amount of resources, has a great climate for agriculture and could flourish as a touristic venue.

The media is also partly to blame; the American news stations have tipped the public opinion against Cuba. People forget that the greatest victims are the Cuban people themselves. Instead of maintaining trade embargos, quotas and protectionism we should think about maintaining the people first.

My advice: if the embargo ever is lifted, the first thing that should be exported are the values on which the United States were founded - equality and liberty for all!

Deaulmerie Julie

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/14/obama-extends-cuba-embarg_n_286154.html

To invest, or not to consume

To invest, or not to consume

Most emerging Asian countries are enjoying large current-account surpluses, meaning that they’re sitting on large amounts of cash. Though it provides a certain degree of financial security, it’s also considered a protectionist rule and has been deemed a cause for the American housing bubble by numerous Western economists.

The same economists recommend that Asian countries stabilise their markets by shifting from export-based income to consumption-based income. The current surpluses are being kept for a rainy day – certainly in these economical difficult times – and are mostly saved in financial institutions abroad. While these countries are flourishing financially, the standard of living barely improves.

It’s a simple economical breakdown: if consumption is stimulated, the standard of living will receive a temporary boost. But… if these surpluses are invested in – let’s say infrastructure – they could sustain a steady growth, thus continuously improving the standard of living. An example would be the Philippines: investments only account for 15% of the GDP, which leaves about 80% of the GDP to consumption. The low investments – which secure future output and consumption – and the high consumption only facilitate flashes of improvement, but don’t sustain growth. Leaving the Philippines with one of the lowest growth rates on the Asian market.

It’s clear; many Asian economic models need to be revised. The rapid development and weak political systems leave too much room for misconduct and mismanagement. As per usual the populace is being left out. We’ve seen the same problems with former colonies, where reinvestment of surpluses is nearly non-existent.

One of the origins of the problem is the lack of leadership with integrity; most Asian markets are still considered part of the ‘Eastern Wild West’ where money makes the world go around. This leaves little room for responsible spending, which is ever so desperately needed. Globalisation should’ve streamlined the world’s markets into a single and unified platform on which we can all fairly trade-off. Making concepts such as ‘outsourcing’ and ‘offshoring’ a vague reminder of ancient times, where everyone had a different standard of living. The Western world is rapidly becoming an exclusively service-based market, as to where the developing countries are becoming solely goods-based. This phenomena has enormous socio-demographical consequences, ranging from education to discrimination.

Simple measures like a balanced investment-consumption model are fairly easily implemented and maintained, but there’s no drive to change the current Asian model in this economic downturn - leaving the world’s economy fragile and the Asian populace in poverty.



Simon Verduyn

http://www.economist.com/business-finance/economics-focus/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15328875