Original scientific paper
A transaction cost analysis of micropayments in mobile commerce
Daniel Gille
; Institute of Computer Science and Social Studies, Dept. of Telematics, Albert-Ludwig University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
Abstract
Personalised, location-related and differentiated services in the mobile digital economy create a demand for suitable pricing models. In the case of disaggregated “microservices” (e.g., small digitalized information or service units), as well as for the acquisition of low-value physical goods, the deployment of micropayments seems appropriate.
This paper analyzes the economic efficiency of marginal transaction amounts in the m-commerce area by applying the theoretical approach of transaction cost economics. For this purpose, a separation of technical and cognitive transaction costs is applied. The influence of selected determinants such as specifity, uncertainty and bounded rationality on transaction costs in mobile commerce micropayments is analyzed. The result is a more likely application of micropayments for physical goods such as beverages or parking tickets than for digital goods and services, given the theoretical assumptions of the model. In addition, indicators for a significant above-zero lower limit of transaction amounts in mobile commerce are presented.
Keywords
m-commerce; micropayments; m-payment; microservices; mental transaction costs
Hrčak ID:
78219
URI
Publication date:
15.6.2005.
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