Convenience is Key When it Comes to Managing Mobile Commerce

Brands have adapted to the smartphone era, creating mobile apps and websites to better reach their consumer base; however, when it comes to mobile commerce and marketing, convenience is an indispensable asset. It’s not enough for companies to merely configure a mobile website; if the site isn’t user-friendly, it will cease to have a beneficial effect.

The prevalence of mobile use cannot be denied, with 1.4 billion smartphones worldwide and Microsoft Tab estimating that mobile searches are set to eventually supercede desktop searches by 2014. On a similar note, mobile e-commerce has enjoyed an 81% increase and a whopping $25 billion in revenue. In 2013, mobile purchases have leaped from 11 to 15% share of all U.S. retail sales, according to eMarketer.

But in order to tap into this budding market, brands will have to optimize their mobile endeavours for maximum efficiency. According to a Google poll, 61% of users said they would leave a mobile site if it wasn’t easy to navigate. In fact, websites that don’t work well on mobile devices are actually being penalized by Google. So how can you make sure your mobile apps and sites will attract - and maintain - traffic from shoppers?

It’s important to note the impatient nature of today’s shoppers. A purchasing system that requires many steps may lose customers along the way, whereas a direct and concise mobile pathway is more likely to ensure purchases. Make sure your site or app is optimized so that people who are casually browsing the site have a higher likelihood of attempting a purchase.

In addition to responsive web designs (which acclimate to browser size for easy navigation and short load times,) brands can also cater to a tech-savvy market through apps that cut out the middle man. Again, convenience is key. For instance, the ‘Walkby’ app helps users track fashion trends and notifies them when retailers offer similar options. This essentially cuts out the time consumers actually need to search for a specific product; instead, they can simply make a purchase when they see that a trend is available and in stock. Similarly, the ‘Hashbag’ app works in conjunction with another user favorite: Instagram. The app keeps track of the “#Forsale” hashtags in order to quickly connect buyers and sellers.

More information on how to better utilize mobile e-commerce is available via the Marketing Trend Report.