The number of people in the UK who own a smartphone has risen dramatically over the last few years. In 2009 approximately 38% of the adult population was smartphone users, a figure that by the first quarter of 2012 has risen to 51%. Of these, 54% reported making a habit of shopping online with their phones on a regular basis – and 38% made regular purchases (IMRG and eDigital Research).
Interesting figures, but what they really mean is that if you are an e-commerce company who has yet to fully embrace the concept of m-commerce (mobile e-commerce), then you are missing out on a golden opportunity. Here are three top tips for an e-commerce company just starting out in the world of m-commerce:
Create a Consistent Experience
For all its success, the one thing people agree that the mighty Facebook has failed to do so far is create a mobile experience that rivals its desktop version. Don’t make their mistake. Mobile should not be thought of as a separate channel but as a part of an overall customer-centric multi channel strategy that presents your company in the same great light across the board.
Create a Simpler Experience
If a website doesn’t have a mobile optimised version then those customers accessing it from a smartphone are likely to be driven away very quickly. No one wants to have to pinch and tap their way through three of four hard to read screens before they get to the information they need.
The mobile version of your website should be easy to navigate while still getting the basic information across. It’s a delicate balance but possible to achieve.
Create a Faster Experience
People shopping from a smartphone who have not yet made a purchase often blame their lack of action on the speed of the process. In fact, 58% of the users questioned said that they expected the speed of a mobile transaction to match a desktop one – and had that been the case they may have been tempted to buy.
Ensuring that your m-commerce site loads quickly is another big goal that has to be worked towards in order for it to do what it is supposed to; open up another avenue of traffic and become a new source of potential customers to your site.
If you would like help improving your mobile website experience, please get in touch.
