5 Key Advantages of Mobile Commerce
This is an article that I came across from my recent readings. Hope you'll find it useful.
Customers now love shopping online from their mobile phones more than ever, primarily because they can do it whether they’re at home on the couch, on the train on the way to work, or while standing on a long line at the grocery store.
Years ago when we wanted to do research, it was done at a library or through books or encyclopedias at home. That eventually turned into using desktop computers, and finally the convenience of smartphones came into play.
It’s much easier to do as much as possible from your phone considering you can use it anywhere rather than have to stay stationary.
There’s no doubt that mobile use is going to continue to rise, and the following five reasons are just some of the advantages as to why mobile commerce is the right approach for your business.
#1 Provides easy store access
Think about how long it takes to go to the store. You have to drive or walk there or take public transportation, take time walking around the store, stand on line to pay, then make your way back home.
There’s nothing wrong with the experience of going to the store, often it can certainly be an enjoyable one, but let’s revert back to time constraints. It’s hard to find the time to fit that into a schedule.
If someone has the means to shop, chances are they’re going to be perusing your store from their mobile device, which means it’s vital to make sure their experience is nothing short of fantastic.
Keep in mind that regardless of how fabulous your products are, the experience as a whole – from the layout of your site to the checkout process – plays a part in whether or not they’re going to return.
Let’s say your website isn’t mobile optimized. Chances are very few mobile shoppers are going to be browsing around because it’s not something they’re going to want to deal with, and if they are, there’s likely not going to be many of them filling their carts and making purchases
The good news is that you can change it. One of the advantages of mobile commerce is that you can constantly make updates and make your site better than ever before. Start by taking a look at the traffic coming into your website and determine what percentage of it is coming from mobile phones. That will give you an idea just how important it is for you to upgrade your site.
#2 Attracts new customers
Another one of the advantages of mobile commerce is that there’s always the potential to bring in new customers. An optimized site is not just one that retains your current customer base, but it’s also one that attracts new customers who come across your store and find it appealing.
Mobile searches are one of the major ways that customers are going to find your site, and the more optimized your site is, the higher the chances are that you’ll gain more business.
Mobile ad networks can forward users to your app as well as your site. Additionally, mobile re-targeting, which displays ads to those who have recently visited your shop to entice them to go back and purchase items they looked at, can be a hugely beneficial tool for your business.
#3 Creates new marketing channel
Another of the advantages of mobile commerce is that you create a new marketing channel. iBeacons are sensors that are placed on shelves, product displays, and signs and interact with nearby mobile devices. They’re essentially what offer a personalized shopping experience.
Signals deliver deals and promotions and can combine the world of online shopping with an actual retail store. It also provides push notifications, which remind a user that they left a product in their cart but haven’t checked out. Those signals also let them know when new products arrives that they may be interested in.
#4 Helps with traditional retail sales
When it comes down to it, one of the key advantages of mobile commerce is that it can help with traditional retail sales . Wait, what?
Think about how a retail store would look if it had absolutely all the details of products that are available. Not only would it be a hassle for employees who have to manually update that information, but it would be cluttered and cumbersome for everyone from the employees to the consumers to have to deal with.
On the flip side, however, one of the reasons that customers love shopping online is because there’s a plethora of information related to the products they’re searching for, and many won’t buy until they first do their research. Having your in-store inventory connected with your online products means that your customers will have access to all the product information they need, which, in turn, can encourage more purchases.
They’ll be able to do the research on the products before buying, plus they’ll also have access to promotions, offers, and discounts that they won’t be able to get in-store. Those deals can instantly spur a customer to buy a product whether it’s the one right in front of them or online and that, of course, means more money for you.
Let’s talk photos and videos. Sure, it’s nice to look at a product in front of you, but there’s something about seeing it in motion and being used for its intended purpose that can really push a customer over the edge and encourage them to make the buy.
Think about what seems more enticing: a slow cooker sitting empty on a shelf right in front of you, or a picture or video of it as it cooks a helping of delicious Chicken Parmesan? Incorporating that content and teaming it up with your in-store merchandise can make the difference between landing the sale and the customer walking away empty-handed.
#5 Growing market = High ROI
According to Forrester, the retail industry in the U.S. is going to experience a total mCommerce growth of 29 percent throughout 2015, and another 21 percent throughout 2016. Those are some pretty crazy numbers.
That’s great news, but only for those who optimize their site for mobile users. You have the upper hand. Once you optimize your site, you’re now ahead of the game and ahead of all those who haven’t made that move. According to a study by Google, 67 percent of people said they would be more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site, and 61 percent said that a site that wasn’t mobile-friendly would make them want to leave. Once again, those are crazy numbers, and ones that should spur you to action to get those 67 percent of customers.
Billions of people go online every month via their phone, and every one of them could be a new potential customer for you. Forget, for a second, about numbers, facts, and figures. Instead, think of the power of a single customer. Each customer you impress could very likely encourage another customer to make a purchase from your site.
Yes, your products speak for themselves, but word-of-mouth can be a powerful tool. When a customer raves about a site and/or a product and how great of a shopping experience they had, that’s essentially free marketing for you. An order from one customer could already pay you back for the time and money you spent into upgrading your site.
Conclusion
The success and popularity of mobile commerce can’t be ignored. It might take awhile, maybe even years, before m-commerce reaches the same levels as e-commerce, but wouldn’t you rather get in now and be all ready for the change rather than have to play catch up later on?
You – and only you – have the power to take your business to the next level. So what are you going to do about it?
For more information, you may call me at ? (0418) 581-074
Source Link: https://www.business2community.com/mobile-apps/5-key-advantages-mobile-commerce-01414032#pbJ0WAwP6mJ2Kclu.97
~Roland