The bigger picture: The use of mobile photos in shopping

Abstract

Mobile phones are becoming, if not already, an integral part of our lives. They have a wide range of applications, such as communication, gaming and commerce. Shopping in particular is a rapidly growing domain. Today, shoppers use their phones to make more informed shopping decisions by researching products and merchants, save money using price comparison, mobile coupons and daily deal apps, even purchase products directly on a mobile device. While mobile commerce and shopping apps are in the spotlight, one area that has received little attention is the role of the native capabilities of a mobile phone, such as the mobile camera, in the shopping process. This paper demonstrates the key role mobile photos play in the shopping process, documenting use cases, practices and pain points, and informing opportunity areas for mobile shopping applications and services. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.