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U-commerce is a term coined by Richard Watson to describe "the use of ubiquitous networks to support personalized and
uninterrupted communications and transactions between an organization and its various stakeholders to provide a level of value
over, above, and beyond traditional commerce" (Watson et al. 2002). The expectation is that as networks become more ubiqutous,
they will be more useful as marketing instruments. The multiple facets of
u-commerce are ubiquitous, universal, unique, and unison.
Ubiquitous
Networked computers will soon be everywhere. Low cost microprocessors and network connections will be embedded in all consumer
durable devices—the fridge, washing machine, oven, and many other familiar household objects. Already, a car has somewhere
between 30 to 40 processors. The Korean appliance manufacturer LG (Lucky Goldstar) is advertising home air conditioners that can
be called from a mobile phone and timed to switch on to a particular temperature setting.
Universal
The current collection of computers: desktop, laptop, cell phone, or PDA are limited in their usefulness because they are not
universally usable. For example, a U.S. cell phone is unlikely to work in Europe because of different standards and network
frequencies. In the future, consumers will have a universal phone that will enable them to stay connected wherever they are. The
laptop and PDA will also gain universality and be always connected to the Internet via a wireless network or satellite, wherever
the owner is.
Unique
Uniqueness means that consumers will receive information that is dependent based on the person’s location, time of day,
and current role or multiplicity of roles (e.g., tourist, parent, commuter, manager), and their expressed or learned preferences
(i.e., learned by the systems providing the service). The mobile phone, particularly those using GSM, already has a higher level
of uniqueness than a PC or laptop based Internet system.
Unison
When consumers have complete agreement between their phonebook, calendar, “to do” list, and other such files
across a range of electronic tools (i.e., cell phone, computer, and PDA), they have unison. This term means that the phonebook on
a computer matches that on a cell phone and all other electronic phonebooks maintained. A change in one phonebook is transmitted
to all others with complete transparency to the owner. The same is true for address books, diaries, and to-do lists, as well as
links to Web and WAP sites. Specified files will be kept in unison so that location becomes irrelevant. The required information
will always be available irrespective of the device and location. Unison means the integration of various communication systems
so there is a single interface or connection point.
References
- Watson, Richard T., Leyland F. Pitt, Pierre Berthon, and George M. Zinkhan. 2002. U-commerce: expanding the universe of
marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 30 (4):329-343.
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