Eight percent of the top 1,000 U.S. brands offer mobile versions of their websites - but only 2 percent of brands in the retail sector operate mobile sites, according to a new study by tech consultancy RarePlay, writes Internet Retailer.
"For retailers it's important to understand the value of having a mobile web presence," Ron Knowlton, RarePlay founder and CTO is quoted as saying. "Although we are not quite to the stage where users are making everyday purchases over their mobile devices, they are using them to identify and locate areas and products of interest."

Mobile commerce, or m-commerce, has already become a part of life in countries like Japan. For example, mobile users there can use their cellphones as credit cards at a number of bricks-and-mortar retailers, such as McDonalds.

Knowlton said the majority of m-commerce transactions in the U.S. is now limited to mobile device add-ons like ring-tones, games, wallpapers and screensavers. "Although small, these minor transactions are working to instill confidence in the public's perception of m-commerce," he said.