{"id":14121,"date":"2020-12-15T06:00:22","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T06:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=14121"},"modified":"2023-01-16T17:14:04","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T17:14:04","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-mobile-ecommerce-and-why-you-should-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-mobile-ecommerce-and-why-you-should-care\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Mobile eCommerce (and Why You Should Care)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The use of smartphones has become a daily part of our lives<\/span>. Communication has been made easy, and people use several applications to communicate with one another. Smartphones, with a lot of sophistication, are replacing personal computers, which dictates the fact that they could soon be the main digital device we need.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2013, the number of smartphone shipments has been rising every single year, and it is expected to cross <\/span>1.5 billion shipments<\/span><\/a> per year in 2022. That, of course, is staggering given the fact that 40% of the world\u2019s population will own a smartphone by that year. Yes, almost 3 billion people worldwide will use a smartphone!<\/span><\/p>\n

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(Source: <\/span><\/i>Statista<\/span><\/i><\/a>)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Why is the above smartphone-related stat interesting? Well, increasing smartphone usage has changed the way people do commerce. Transactions have taken a whole new shape. They have transformed from traditional to digital, and most importantly, mobile-commerce!<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s buzzing with mobile commerce?<\/span><\/p>\n

While offline retail stores remain important, what\u2019s even more important these days is to understand the fact that,<\/span><\/p>\n

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75% of shoppers in the US prefer to use mobile devices along with physical shopping in retail stores.<\/b><\/p>\n

Top Mobile Statistics<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Mobile commerce or mCommerce has been revolutionising the business world since the last decade. As more and more people <\/span>use smartphones<\/span><\/a>, sending and receiving money has also been made possible through digital transactions. With the rise of eCommerce in the 2000s and 2010s,\u00a0 mobile e-commerce has transformed numerous retailers and consumers. They now must interact and trade using wireless technology on mobile devices and related functionalities. Needless to say, transactions should be safe and secure for both of them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Consumers are effectively using mobile devices to search for products and services that they\u2019re looking for all year round, and even more so in the <\/span>holiday season<\/span><\/a>. That\u2019s when most of the eCommerce sales peak! eCommerce retailers work on numerous <\/span>product recommendation strategies<\/b><\/a> to offer daily deals to attract consumers and shoppers and make the most of the holiday season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also evident that during the holiday season, shoppers are more likely to browse on their mobiles, as it\u2019s more convenient to shop on the go. This is also the time when your customers are willing to shop at new brands and have a closer look at <\/span>customer reviews <\/b><\/a>to find that perfect gift for their loved ones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All of which means you have to run a lot of mobile commerce promotions over the holiday season to target new customers when their intent to shop is the highest. If you can offer them a seamless mobile shopping experience, these customers will end up converting at a higher rate and spending more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before we get to the nitty-gritty of optimising your mobile commerce, though, let\u2019s cover the fundamentals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Mobile Ecommerce?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Mobile Commerce definition<\/span><\/h3>\n

Mobile commerce is that branch of commerce that includes monetary transactions completed using a digital device – smartphones or tablets. That is, both buying and selling of goods and services done through wireless handheld devices.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ubiquity of smartphones, in addition to the growing importance of search engines, <\/span>social integration<\/b><\/a>, and changing work and lifestyle patterns, has led to the growth of mobile commerce. Mobile devices offer speed and convenience over laptops and desktops. This is the main reason why mobile shopping is the preferred way to browse and buy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the name suggests – it\u2019s online shopping through mobile. M-commerce is a valuable tool to engage customers and offer seamless shopping experiences. Any amount of investment to set up your mobile eCommerce, if done wisely, will be justified by <\/span>loyal customers<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mobile commerce is considered as an advancement to eCommerce. The main reasons being (a.) the tremendous growth potential and (b.) better, more <\/span>customer-centric<\/span><\/a> experiences. Also, don\u2019t forget the impact of m-commerce’s on the convenience of shopping, interactivity, ease, and improved customer retention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, consumers are ready for mobile commerce. It would be interesting to find out how eCommerce retailers<\/a> have developed more modern applications and upped their offering to catch up with increasing consumer demand through digital devices.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How Mobile Commerce Works<\/b><\/h2>\n

As all of us know, mobile commerce involves the use of portable mobile or cellular devices and related solutions. That includes things such as mobile phones, <\/span>cloud phone systems<\/span><\/a>, smartphones, and tablets. But the main two features around which mobile e-commerce functions are 1) mobility and 2) ubiquity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The portability of m-commerce results in closer proximity between businesses, business models, and their consumers. This means it is now possible for businesses to reach their target audience faster.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

None of the parties involved is restricted by physical barriers or geographical locations when doing commerce. Be that purchasing a product, completing a bank transaction, or one of the many other processes now possible on mobile devices. The technology and devices that power mobile-commerce are also available and readily accessible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Proximity closes the gap between brands and shoppers, and as cross-device engagement increases, there\u2019s a higher probability of eCommerce sales conversions. Right from the time a consumer sees a particular product to when they make a purchase, proximity plays a significant role.<\/span><\/p>\n

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These days, contactless payments are also on the rise; this is feasible due to the use of Near Field Communication (NFC). As such tech and consumer demands continue to develop, such shifts will only accelerate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Benefits of Mobile Ecommerce<\/b><\/h2>\n

1. It is highly scalable.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As consumers worldwide are going mobile-first, m-commerce opens the door for a global footprint. With billions of smartphone and tablet users across the globe, brands can enter untapped markets to expand their presence. All that\u2019s needed from any new prospect is a smartphone and the internet. Shoppers and consumers can get access to similar products and deals that brands offer in highly established markets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brands typically build <\/span>mobile applications<\/span><\/a> instead of just providing consumers with a mobile site. The use of mobile applications enables shoppers to take actions much faster, resulting in better brand building as well as scalability. So, the possibilities are almost limitless.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. You get better access to user data.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With mobile commerce, brands have better access to consumer data and can understand buyer intent like never before. When brands can map buyer intent to their product-related attributes, they can offer better personalisation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tailoring brand communication messages and working on strong messaging for every segment can augment personalisation based on a user\u2019s interest, behaviour, location, language, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Provides better engagement for users.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Notifications have come a long way in providing constant engagement with users. Web push notifications as well as in-app notifications, can boost user engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n

One word of caution is that brands should make sure that the push notifications they send are non-intrusive and are brand messages that users will enjoy reading.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Higher engagement results in better brand recall whenever a brand\u2019s users visit Google Play Store, iTunes, or Windows store. Thus making them more likely to buy or download a brand\u2019s apps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mobile applications have interfaces that allow users to partake in <\/span>social sharing<\/span><\/a>. They can simply share an image with their friends and show what they\u2019ve bought via easy sharing, and one-click buy will boost your communications with the customers still further.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mobile applications can enhance branding, which in turn increases your store\u2019s sales.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Has the ability to retarget your customers.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Not all the consumers who come to a brand\u2019s website will complete transactions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Facebook and Google are the most powerful retargeting platforms where brands can leverage their network to reconnect with those customers again. Why is this important?<\/span><\/p>\n

Retargeting helps address <\/span><\/i>98% of visitors<\/span><\/i><\/a> who leave a website without making a purchase.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

This makes retargeting or remarketing one of the most important channels in a brand\u2019s digital mobile marketing playbook. One of the best ways to create retargeting ads is to include <\/span>user-generated content<\/b><\/a> within it. The <\/span>importance of customer reviews<\/b><\/a> is vital and<\/span> will help your brand build trust and credibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s even more interesting for brands to consider is this –\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The average CTR for retargeting ads is surprisingly 10X that of display ads.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

As more and more users see a brand\u2019s visuals (that they\u2019ve already seen before), it enhances their branding and credibility.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Aids better inventory management.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the basic principles in retail is to maintain appropriate <\/span>inventory<\/span><\/a>. It means you have to make sure that you have enough stock to meet the demand that comes from your shoppers. All the while enduring you don\u2019t overstock and end up misusing your working capital.<\/span><\/p>\n

Managing the supply chain for your retail business model can be challenging. With Commerce, it\u2019s easier to keep a tab on inventory management, thanks to:<\/span><\/p>\n