Mobile phone is the first and last thing that we check while waking up in the morning and before going to sleep. Let’s be honest, we have become habitual of using smartphones to remain connected with the world 24/7.
Mobile Commerce (mCommerce) is the fastest growing segment of e-commerce online. According to a recent report from Juniper Research which tracks mobile market data, “the value of mobile commerce transactions is expected to top $3.2 trillion by 2017”. With the advancement of mobile technology, consumers now prefer to shop or search for information, deals, places to shop via tablets & smartphones because of new sophisticated mobile apps and tools that enable them easy online shopping experience than desktops. Online businesses and stores are now focusing on their mobile-friendly websites and apps to target their consumers and improve customer shopping experience.
Mobile Apps Go Beyond Simple Online Shopping:
Ecommerce businesses provide mobile users the ability to find the products and services they are looking from the closest online store and are able to deliver them within 24 hours making online shopping experience easy, convenient and powerful. Mobile Apps are getting more advanced with Apple and Google now offering more than 700,000 mobile applications each in their respective online stores. According to The New York Times, “the mobile industry is now valued at more than $1.6 trillion. It’s expected to spike to a multi-trillion dollar industry in the next ten years”.
A recent survey commissioned by AT&T and the Small Business & Entrepreneurship (SBE) Council found that small business owners save some $67.5 billion a year by using mobile apps, tablets, and smartphones in their day-to-day business activities. “Apps offer small businesses a means to increase revenues and visibility, as well as enhance the customer experience,” Marla Tabaka explains in Inc. “Whether you own a restaurant, offer a service, write a blog, run events, or manage a DIY platform, you can grow your business just by adding an app.”
Some of the latest and advanced mobile app features that make online shopping easier include Mobile Image Recognition (MIR), social media integration, GPS coupon feature, QR code feature, Tell-a-Friend sharing feature, shopping carts, payment options, track order features, push notifications and more. Now most of the smrtphones come equipped with special technology that can allow shoppers to snap an image of something they like to find out where to buy it from. A number of large companies have realized how much easier the shopping experience is for the buyer when they do not have to fumble around with the credit card information during the checkout process. Ecommerce businesses now allow shoppers to store their credit card information to a secure profile that allows them to quickly checkout the next time they return to the site.
If you want to know more about a product while in a store, many retailers make it possible for you to scan the barcode which brings up all the information and reviews available for that product.
Better Engagement with Brands:
Gaining customer satisfaction should be a key factor for any business. Mobile phone use gives customers an easy and convenient way to leave reviews. There is a shift that is taking place where the written review is being replaced with video reviews and testimonials. Many ecommerce companies provide customers the options to post video reviews of their products. This is beneficial for businesses because customers can show how they use the products and can give feedback on ways to improve a product.
Conclusion:
The rise of mCommerce is rapidly changing consumer behavior and online marketing strategies. Mobile phones are drastically changing the way customers shop. Ecommerce businesses that fail to make this option convenient and easier will only hinder themselves and their company’s growth. With more and more people relying on mobile phones to access information about products and services, businesses need to stay ahead of this transition.
Zahoor Bhat has over 10+ years of experience as an online editor and media manager. He has worked with major online news and content sites as a media manager. He is well versed with major content management systems and web platforms such as WordPress and social media networks including Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google Business, Yelp, Instagram & Linkedin. He is an expert in content creation, proofreading and finally making it live. Being a social media expert, he is able to make relations with social media influencers and make sure to generate leads and grow business via different social media platforms.
