Today’s consumers are more connected than ever before, and it’s changing the way we do business. Social media has transformed marketing into a community activity, artificial intelligence is changing customer service as we know it and mobile phones have made it easier for shoppers to buy products on the go.
This Black Friday marked a major milestone for mobile eCommerce as shopping from phones and tablets was responsible for $1.2 billion in U.S. online sales! While purchases from mobile only make up 36 percent of total online sales for Black Friday, mobile views actually outweighed PC views by 55 percent – meaning that the majority of shoppers at least viewed a retail or eCommerce page from their smartphone before buying products from their personal computer.
And mobile purchases are showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, 2016 saw the first time shoppers made the majority, 51 percent, of their purchases on the web. This trend will only increase as it become easier to research and buy items from computers and mobile devices. If eCommerce sites want to stay competitive, they need to design for mobile.
Below are a few tips to get your enterprise eCommerce store in on the action.
Build a Mobile Friendly Site:
If you are looking to optimize your site for mobile, it’s probably best to start with an enterprise eCommerce platform built with mobile in mind. Retrofitting an existing site can take a lot of extra time and effort, especially if you hire an agency or outside team to make the necessary adjustments. Remember that mobile doesn’t only mean smartphone, so you will also need a tablet-friendly version of your site as well.
Entice Younger Customers:
Depending on your business model and target demographics, you may be looking towards mobile to attract more Millennials. It turns out members of Generation Y are the most avid mobile shoppers, making nearly 63 percent of their purchases via smartphone or tablet. It’s crystal clear – if you want to appeal to younger buyers, you must optimize your eCommerce site for mobile.
Email Marketing for Mobile:
Email marketing is nothing new, but did you know it is one of the hottest ways to keep customers engaged in your brand? More than 65 percent of all email gets opened first on mobile; and since push notification alert users when they receive new messages, your emails have a greater chance of being seen. Use email marketing to promote sales, limited-time discounts, promotions and more. Experiment with pushing out marketing material at different times of day. Want to be the first thing in their inbox when they wake up? Or should you try to catch shoppers with store alerts in the late evening?
Embrace Social Commerce:
Social media is abuzz with viral marketing campaigns and two-way conversations between buyers and brands. Never has it been easier to see exactly what your audience is talking about. Luckily, social media platforms have taken things further by offering buy buttons on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and others. Now users looking at your page can buy directly from their feed.
Avoid Orphaned Carts:
Of course, nothing comes without its challenges. Mobile enterprise eCommerce isn’t perfect and in fact could lead to the growing number of abandoned carts. Reports show cart abandonment is highest among mobile users as they relinquished orders at around 79 percent. To combat this, make sure that your checkout process is quick and simple for mobile users. No one likes fumbling around with tiny text boxes on such a small screen.
If you operate an enterprise eCommerce store, then you should take advantage of the exciting development in mobile sales and marketing. This guide will get you started, but don’t forget to experiment to see what works best for your customers and your business.