PayPal introduces Mobile Express Checkout payment solution

eBay-owned digital commerce solutions provider PayPal launched Mobile Express Checkout, a secure, two-click payment tool enabling consumers to remain logged in across multiple mobile applications to simplify purchases. Optimized for merchants who've already deployed Express Checkout on their online stores, the opt-in mobile solution enables smartphone users to purchase merchandise, keep coupons and store loyalty program data. According to PayPal, merchants trialing the Mobile Express Checkout beta have reported double-digit sales growth on their mobile storefronts--announced partners include coffeehouse chain Starbucks, which will implement the solution into its Starbucks Card Mobile app for the iPhone and iPod touch. PayPal adds it will incorporate credit card payment options into Mobile Express Checkout during Q1 2011.

Also new: PayPal Mobile for iPhone 3.0, touting location-based features enabling users to identify nearby businesses that accept PayPal purchases. In addition, PayPal is bolstering its Mobile Payments Library, enabling developers to use preapproved payments for subscription-based business models and leverage split and chained payments to take a cut of transactions between buyers and sellers.

PayPal additionally announced two new partnerships. It will team with electronic payment technologies provider VeriFone to develop tools enabling merchants to accept credit card and PayPal payments anywhere via the PAYWare mobile merchant app. PayPal also will collaborate with applications platform provider Appcelerator for a joint mobile commerce effort slated to launch in 2011--Appcelerator gives merchants the tools to build cross-platform apps spanning the iOS, Android and BlackBerry operating systems from one web code base.

PayPal also is expected to announce support for premium app purchases on Google's Android Market. Confirmation appeared briefly on the PayPal Blog on Tuesday before the announcement was pulled--check out the cached page here.

PayPal said it expects more than $700 million in mobile payments to go through its system by the end of this year. In 2009, parent firm eBay's mobile gross merchandise volume (the value of all goods sold) exceeded $600 million; eBay expects to generate $1.5 billion in GMV via mobile commerce in 2010.

For more on Mobile Express Checkout:
- read this release

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