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.
