Ecommerce has transformed into M-commerce largely, if not completely. So, virtual shops have moved from big screens with lots of space to smaller ones right in users’ palms. This infers that now online retailers and business owners have to work wisely with a shrinking space.
If we take a look a decade back, electronic commerce was something associated with the web solely. And, in order to set an online store, businesses had to create a web store, market it and sales used to get started. So previously, eCommerce was more straightforward where computers were used for browsing the internet, and mobile phones were used to connect via calls.
Today with 3.5 billion people having smartphones, it is easier to realize people are focused around their phones for a significant amount of time on a regular basis. The frequent use of mobile and its importance in one’s life needs no explanation at the moment. All we need to take a look around, and we can see how people are engaged in their phones.
Since businesses and commerce make strategy according to the audience’s interests, retailers are setting hopes from mobile commerce or m-commerce. Smartphones have become a major device for internet browsing, overpowering tablets, and laptops. Therefore, m-commerce is overriding e-commerce. It comes as no surprise why retailors are rushing towards mobile commerce. Statista reports that mobile retail commerce revenue in the United States is expected to surpass 345 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, up from 148 billion U.S. dollars in 2018.
Challenges in Mobile Commerce
Users are turning to shop through their smartphones because it offers them a great mobile experience. A satisfying mobile app experience refers to offering simple ways to users, enabling them to get the products they want easy and fast.
However, there are still many challenges to surpass in mobile commerce. When a person uses their smartphones, their attention is divided in a lot of other things around, for instance, we watch TV and keep checking our phones in between. On a breakfast table, we hurry to reach the workplace, wrapping things around keep taking a glance at our smartphone’s screens. This makes it difficult for online businesses and mobile apps to grab users’ attention completely (which is required to make a purchase.)On top of all, constant chat messages, notifications, and news alerts are dividing their attention all the time. There fore, mobile shoppers’ use case is diverse and complex.
Make Mobile Experience Quick and Easy
Today, most retailers are hopping into m-commerce who started with a responsive website. They aim their sales targets to fit the screens of smartphones, and therefore, they contact mobile app development companies to get a mobile app for their retail shops. But this surface-level solution often leads to the quick and disappointing realization that conversions through this do not fulfill high hopes.
Only a small proportion of online shoppers complete a purchase on their mobile device, and there are many reasons for that. One of the biggest conversion issues lies around the load speed form-commerce. Consumers quickly quit the conversion funnel when loading speeding is slow. The website needs to be mobile optimized to ensure that the user never has to experience longer than basic loading times. In the case of a mobile app, the app should be simple and easy for eyes and hands to work with.
Besides, mobile app design and user experience need a different approach rather than merely adjusting the website into a smaller screen. The limitations of the mobile screen need to be recognized and fixed, and the mobile app features need to be focused to complete a purchase in fewer steps with minimal disruptions along the way.
It is essential to consider every element of the mobile experience. Small aspects should be considered while developing the mobile app. for instance, button placements need to be aligned with consideration of how a user may carry their hand-held device. The most important call to action elements needs to be adjusted within easy reach for the fingers of both right-handed and left-handed users.
Surprise and Delight
A key to driving sales is product discovery. A display of large lists of products under different categories may be productive on big screens, but it may not work as effectively on a smartphone. Because, on a mobile device, tapping in and out on products to get more information is complex and inept. Enabling a “quick view” or details right behind the product may work better for both mobile and desktop.
A satisfying mobile experience offers a simple way for users to get to the products they want. They could either be in the form of convenient filters or search feature. Therefore, personalization is a robust way to keep users engaged, enabling them to reach a targeted selection of products relevant to their needs. In this regard, user behavior and past purchases information provide strong indications for personal preference and future purchases.
Moreover, checkout and payment are the final obstacles in the purchase journey. No matter how much a shopper likes a product, if they experience issues in the payment method, the conversion chain will break.
Abandoned Carts
Studies reveal that many mobile shoppers do not complete their purchase at the checkout section and leave abandoned carts. There may be different reasons for that, but, in some cases, a user may not necessarily checkout on a mobile device. Sometimes, consumers use their smartphones to discover and learn about a product, but complete their purchase via using a laptop or computer, with larger screens and fewer distractions because of itmerely is feasible for them.
It is crucial to ensure and seamless experience for users to switch between the various platforms and preserve behavior signals to support them with consistent service, regardless of the device they move on to.
To achieve success in m-commerce, retailers should treat mobile as its own experience, and optimize the experience for both the limitations and benefits of the small screen rather than merely adjusting their desktop site into a hand-held device.