A TRANSACTION COST ANALYSIS OF MICROPAYMENTS IN MOBILE COMMERCE

Abstract

Personalised, location-related and differentiated services in the mobile digitaleconomy 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 theacquisition of low-value physical goods, the deployment of micropayments seemsappropriate.This paper analyzes the economic efficiency of marginal transaction amounts in the mcommercearea by applying the theoretical approach of transaction cost economics. Forthis purpose, a separation of technical and cognitive transaction costs is applied. Theinfluence of selected determinants such as specifity, uncertainty and bounded rationality ontransaction costs in mobile commerce micropayments is analyzed. The result is a morelikely application of micropayments for physical goods such as beverages or parking ticketsthan for digital goods and services, given the theoretical assumptions of the model. Inaddition, indicators for a significant above-zero lower limit of transaction amounts inmobile commerce are presented.