Mobile commerce is a subset of electronic commerce. It is a term that is used to describe the buying and selling of products and services via a wireless handheld device, for example, a smart phone or a tablet. You may also see mobile commerce referred to as m-commerce or mobile eCommerce. It is likely that you already know a bit about mobile commerce. It is no longer a niche. Over the past few years, there has been a significant growth in m-commerce, as companies realise the vast benefits associated with providing the complete online shopping experience on all devices. This trend was to be expected when you consider the rise of mobile internet usage.
Nevertheless, the online world never remains stagnant, and thus online shopping and marketing is changing and evolving all of the time. So, let’s take a look at the future of mobile commerce. There is only one place to begin, and that is with ease of use. Retailers must understand that the mobile commerce experience is new for most individuals, and thus ease of use becomes imperative if user adoption of mobile retail is to accelerate. Simplicity is the key. Make navigation evident and don’t give the consumer lengthy forms to fill in.
In addition to this, research indicates that consumers are going to be more inclined to shop via their smart phone if they were incentivised by the brand. How do you do this? By the use of special offers, deal alerts, coupons, loyalty schemes and such like. This will increase the consumer’s level of participation, as it makes it easier for them to have a relationship with the brand, yet it will also lengthen the amount of time they spend engaging with the company as well.
Nevertheless, it is not a case of offering the consumer any old deal or coupon. Marketing is becoming increasingly targeted and personalised. Thus, it becomes imperative to gain an insight into your consumer base if you are to maintain a long-term relationship with your customers. Use the data you have generated to provide consumers with information on deals and coupons they are likely to use. This will reap much better results in the long-run. Moreover, it is also worth noticing that personalization will become greater and greater as time moves on. From social media interactions to transaction histories, soon there will be no such thing as a one-size-fits-all mobile shopping experience.
To conclude, there is no denying that the power has shifted to the customer in this digital and mobile age. It presents an incredible opportunity for all retailers, yet you need to focus on offering three core qualities. You must provide the consumer with convenience, personalised offers, and security. Security is a core factor in all types of e-commerce, and always has been, hence why it has not been elaborated on previously. If you use these three qualities as the foundation for your m-commerce experience, you have the basis to reap advantage of all the benefits associated with mobile commerce.
