3 reasons m-commerce isn’t working for you

Internet Retailing magazine reported at the end of last year that 24% of UK online orders come through m-commerce – that’s a large chunk of your business! Have you checked your analytics lately?

If you’re finding that there’s a big gap between visitors and completed sales, this could be for a number of reasons, but here are three of the big ones:

1. Your site isn’t mobile-friendly

   It may be that you think your site is as amazing on a desktop or laptop as that first pint after a long walk on a crisp day but, if it hasn’t been optimised for smartphones and tablets, you’re serving up stale ale. Without optimisation, your site may take a long time to load, the images may not fit neatly on a smaller screen, or the buttons and links could be difficult to access. This is undoubtedly going to frustrate potential customers and may cause them to abandon their sale. If you’re lucky, they’ll have another go when they’re home, but they may simply go to your competitor. Can you afford to lose that sale because you don’t have a responsive web design?

2. No fail safes in place

   People who use their mobile for shopping are generally looking for a quick purchase whilst commuting or on a break at work, possibly in response to an advert they saw or a conversation they’ve had on social media. If time runs short and they suddenly have to abandon a purchase, have you anticipated this? Is there a basket save option? Have you collected enough data to be able to prompt them to return to complete the sale? Are you able to re-target them if they’ve left for another reason and you want to entice them back with promotional deals? If you’re not addressing these points, you could be missing out on greater profits.

3. Lack of innovation

   It is the younger generation that is leading the way, as far as expectations for their shopping experience goes. They are often the first to embrace a new app, to explore website updates, and to discuss any changes in the digital landscape. The retailers who are thriving in this new age are businesses that have either set up primarily to capture an online audience, or ones who have responded to the need to provide a great user experience online. Take the UK clothing and accessory retailer, River Island, as an example (see image at top).

They have understood that young people are almost inseparable from their phones and have developed their app and marketing around the idea of getting a ‘fashion fix’ easily, that also integrates with their physical shop. Customers can use the app to scan products in store to find out more about them, they can find the nearest store, set up a wish list, or simply shop! What’s stopping you?

Many of these issues can be easily addressed by your Magento web developer as they can ensure your current website is updated to meet the required standards for a mobile optimised site, they can do the necessary tests to keep an eye on how well it’s performing, and they can work on the elements you want to improve upon to create greater opportunities for growth as a business through fantastic experiences with your site. When customers are happy, they’re more likely to return for another sale, or recommend you to friends and family. So, what are you waiting for?

App images from River Island.