Mobile commerce by smartphones and tablets grew 81% last year – up to $24.8 billion in 2012 from $14.6 billion in 2011, according to a recent eMarketer report. By 2014, sales made on mobile devices are expected to increase by more than 56% to around $38.8 billion, making mobile the fastest growing eCommerce outlet today. By 2017, that number is expect to reach $108.56 billion.
But smartphones are more than just a way for consumers to buy things. They are changing the way people shop. In fact, 90 percent of smartphone owners use their devices to prep for shopping, like looking up store locations and searching for deals or coupons. At the same time, 84% of smartphone users look up products while actually shopping, to compare prices and look at reviews.
Overall, mobile shoppers just buy more. Total basket size on mobile compared to PC can be anywhere from 35% larger for household care items, to up to 50% larger for health and beauty products. Not only do phone shoppers often buy more, it’s the fastest growing market, as shown in this graph from IBM. That’s a lot of extra revenue!
Know your user. Know who your typical customer is, and what they want. Not all mobile sites have to be the same, and it’s up to you to recognize the specific needs of your audience. Figure out what your customers are shopping for, where they’re shopping from, what devices they’re using, and what they ultimately want from your site. Once you have an idea of this, you can begin designing the best mobile website out there.
Keep it secure. An insecure eCommerce site is dangerous for the business and the customers. Identity theft is on the rise and smart shoppers will simply go to a competitor’s site. Keep your clients’ information safe and protect your business.
Mobilize everything. Don’t forget – anything you access daily from your smartphone your customers probably do too. That includes the rest of your website, your social media and any marketing materials you may send out. Make sure that all of your website is optimized for mobile, as well as any newsletters, coupons, and promotions you may send out as emails. Provide easy links to social media networks and mailing lists to keep your mobile customers in the loop.
In the end, mobilizing your eCommerce site isn’t just wise… it’s can have a dramatic effect on your revenue! Hopefully those tips will help get you started, but if you’re still finding everything a little overwhelming, check WompMobile out. We’ll mobilize your eCommerce site while preserving your brand identity and optimizing for lightening fast speeds. And we’ll do it in two weeks or less!
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