This Webloyalty blog entry discusses mobile commerce, and how it is set to steal the limelight over the next couple of years as more people are acquiring smartphones. The usage of desktop-based eCommerce and traditional retail shopping channels has already started to decline and by 2014 we will start to see mobile marketing and commerce take over.
Related Post: Webloyalty & the Future of Retail: the impact of mobile and social
This Webloyalty blog discusses several ways in which mobile commerce, also known as mCommerce, is likely to change retail shopping and marketing. If retailers want to sustain a competitive advantage in the market, the following changes need to be adopted:
refreshed website design
Online sellers are already starting to realise the importance of giving their website a more humanised feel. However it is also it is anticipated that responsive design will become increasingly imperative. Those merchants who have not yet optimised their websites for smartphone and tablet users could see a negative impact on sales and user experience.
shopping on the go
Mobile shopping is set to make shopping ubiquitous. A person taking the train in the evening could order jewellery for his partner for next day delivery, or someone watching a rugby game at a stadium might be prompted to order a new team jersey following a team win.
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transparency
Mobile commerce allows the pricing process to become more transparent. A shopper in one retail store can easily compare the price of an item with a competitor. Customers are becoming increasingly price sensitive and savvy to the deals available to them.
new payment services
The rise of mobile services will accelerate the growth of new and improved payment solutions. PayPal, Amazon and innovations such as Google Wallet will become the preferred method of payment instead of the manual process of re-typing personal details.
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Webloyalty MD Guy Chiswick’s thoughts on the growth of mCommerce
Webloyalty MD Guy Chiswick shares his thoughts on why mobile integration should be an integral part of a retailer’s business, saying:
“According to Comscore, mCommerce in the US has grown from 3% of ecommerce retail transactions on smartphones and tablets in late 2010, to 11% in the same period in 2012. This equates to $18.6bn of consumer spending and it is forecast to grow to 15% by the end of 2013. In the UK 24.8m people browsed a retail site on their smartphone in January 2013 and 6.6m made a purchase. This shows how important it is for retailers to have a clear mCommerce strategy.”
You can follow Guy on Twitter for more eCommerce and mCommerce insight: @Webloyalty_Guy
Read next week’s Webloyalty blog entry to see how other technological advancements impact our retail industry.
Related Posts:
Webloyalty & the Future of Retail: the impact of mobile and social
Webloyalty strikes a new partnership with Alitalia
The Future of Retail – how to leverage customer insight
Sources:
Practical ECommerce: Ways in which Mobile Commerce will Change Retail
Webloyalty and The Future of Retail: the demand picture
