mobile ecommerce ~ responsive websites
Going mobile without an app
Now is the time to go mobile, but you don't need a mobile app to connect with your customers
Going mobile means different things to different businesses. Rather than assuming you need a mobile app, start by thinking about how you connect with your customers. Mobile apps are great if you need to leverage features of mobile phones such as contacts, a calendar or photos. Of course games and social networking are prime examples of mobile apps.
But what if you want to offer mobile shopping ??
Should you implement a mobile app or mobile commerce (mcommerce) website?
Customer Experience
If you provide online shopping, customers appreciate not having to re-learn how to interact with your ecommerce website when they switch devices. Mobile commerce must provide the same customer experience as desktop ecommerce. The exact same experience is formatted to fit all the screen sizes but is designed to be a great mobile shopping experience. Every detail is approached from the perspective of the mobile customer: product photo sizes, positioning of prices, the size of the Add To Cart button - the key is to work through every detail of the shopping experience and implement mcommerce with a mobile-first design strategy.
Convenience
Mobile shopping needs to be designed with customer convenience in mind. Minimize typing; forbid horizontal scrolling; design your content to support decision-making by your customer.
Speed
Most people think of response time as the important “speed” indicator. While quick response time is vital, other areas of the mcommerce experience require speed:
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search results that quickly lead to products of interest
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product descriptions that are easy to read (typeface, font size, font color)
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clear product options (size, color)
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minimize steps in the checkout process
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shipping confirmation with tracking numbers in 1 - 2 business days
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same or next day response to customer service inquiries
Deliver speed throughout the entire mcommerce experience to gain customer loyalty.
Ease of Use
If your mcommerce website is not easy to use, you'll have abandoned shopping carts rather than orders.
The key to a successful mobile strategy is to do it well. Surpass your customers' expectations. Provide an awesome customer experience and your customers will return as well as tell their friends. If you want mobile commerce, you don't need a mobile app. You need a responsive ecommerce website that is designed first for mobile.
