Many of us are familiar with the e-commerce revolution, especially given how the pandemic has completely altered our shopping habits.
Business has decidedly moved away from the high street in recent years, a trend that was obviously accelerated with lockdown measures and the closing of non-essential shops
When we discuss online shopping, the term e-commerce immediately springs to mind – but it could soon be replaced by m-commerce.
So what does this mean and how can you implement it into your business?
What is m-commerce?
If you’re familiar with the term e-commerce then you may be able to guess what the ‘m’ stands for!
M-Commerce focuses on shopping experiences delivered on mobile phone or tablet devices.
Whether through mobile-friendly web design or dedicated apps, taking a mobile-first strategy is an important step to future-proofing business.
M-commerce stats
Here are some facts and figures that highlight just how much of a crucial role m-commerce will play in the years to come.
- M-commerce is expected to make up a fifth (20.2%) of all retail sales by 2024.
- 79% of smartphone users have made a purchase online using their mobile device in the last 6 months.
- Globally, m-commerce sales increased by a huge 40.3% in 2017 alone.
Developing a winning m-commerce strategy
It seems pretty clear that desktop websites could soon go the way of brick-and-mortar stores and become somewhat obsolete among regular shoppers.
So, with a renewed focus on mobile shopping, how can you go about making sure your platforms are best serving these needs?
If you have the expertise within your team, you may be able to implement much of this, but enlisting the help of a specialist ecommerce agency to expand your mobile operations will ensure a high-level result.
A competitive m-commerce strategy will cover the following,
- Mobile-friendly checkout process: Make sure that fields for entering payment details are compatible with mobile keyboards, and that boxes and fonts are clear enough to read on smaller screens while on the go.
- Turn your store into an app: If turning your site into a mobile-first one is tricky, or you want to really engage your customers, you could create an app. This also gives you scope to expand loyalty programs, which can turn customers into repeat and loyal buyers.
- Utilise push notifications: We’re all fairly used to our mobile phones buzzing and pinging throughout the day, so why not inform customers of new products, services or offers. By eliciting an emotional response, you may see an increase in revenue as a result.
- Utilise the data: Particularly if you do move onto an app, you will be able to utilise data points about your customer base – a crucial tool which you can then use to find similar people who may also be interested in your services.