M-commerce is growing and needs to be an integral part of any online retail strategy.
Globally, there are one billion e-shoppers, and their spending is expected to reach $1 trillion by the end of 2013 (see below). But there’s a problem – consumers are accessing your site through a host of different devices, from smartphones and tablets to laptops.
How do you ensure that they receive a uniform brand experience across so many devices?
Optimizing your website for mobile should be a top priority. Here are the stats no-one can afford to ignore:
On internet users…
3.7 billion will do so by 2015 (that’s less than 15 months from now!)
Online shoppers currently number 1 billion
They have spent $1 trillion online this year
This is predicted to double by 2015
[Source: IMRG – ‘How Can Retailers Succeed in the Digital Decade?’]
On smartphone users…
40% of smartphone users shop online
50% research potential purchases online
[Source: eDigital Research 2013, Ofcom]
On tablet users…
66% research potential product purchases online
Tablets were the most popular Christmas gift in 2012
71% of tablet owners purchased their Christmas gifts using their tablet device.
[Sources: eDigital Research 2013]
Visits via mobile accounted for 23.1% of online retail visits in 2012, according to research by eDigital.
John Lewis, one of the country’s biggest retailers, has seen a 70% increase year on year in mobile visitors to its website. And the number of smartphone shoppers who make purchases on a weekly basis has almost doubled since 2012.
One third of every transaction on eBay involves a mobile and the company is predicting $20 billion worth of sales will be made on mobiles by the end of 2013.
The Problem?
Your m-commerce channel needs to display properly on an ever diverse range of devices: from laptops and smartphones to tablets; all with varying screen sizes, browsers and user interfaces.
In an ideal world, this should be achieved with apps specifically tailored for the mobile device plus responsive websites that automatically adapt the site layout according to the device on which they are being viewed.
Only one in ten UK retailers has a tablet-optimised site, despite the fact that one tablet generates as many website visits as four smartphones.
Google research suggests 40% of users have turned to a competitor’s site after a bad mobile experience.
[Sources: Mastek survey, PingMobile, Econsultancy, Marketing Magazine]
The Solution?
Forward-thinking e-commerce businesses need to not just add, but integrate, mobile apps and responsive websites into their multi-channel strategy.
M-commerce is also changing how customers behave in-store, and prompting big players like Neiman Marcus to change their retail strategy.
