Mobile Wisdom
Mobile ecommerce is now on the rise. But is it really necessary to use this technology? If you are a fan of Gilt and Fab news sites then you might think that mobile ecommerce sites are enjoying great revenues. Based on a sample data from Spring Metrics' customers it has been discovered that not all sites are enjoying great revenues from using mobile devices. It shows that sales from desktop users are still dominating. In fact, smaller sites are having a hard time in creating mobile sites, which are user friendly due to their limited resources.
The question is, where do customers usually spent their money, is it on mobile or on desktop? In comparing revenues between mobile and desktop, we can see that there is a difference of 20%. But when it comes to micro sites there is a huge difference. Gilt and Fab are doing great in their mobile ecommerce sites, however most sites are still starting to develop their revenues. The great challenge would be how you can make your mobile site much better.
There is a huge difference between browsing your computer and browsing on a smartphone. The developer should realize these differences. When it comes to the people’s preferences, most of us are more comfortable in seeing those large and clear pictures than having those small text links. Most users are not so comfortable in filling up those complicated forms. They also do not want to use onsite searches. Gilt and Fab are using effective iPhone apps. However, you should not depend on your apps alone. In fact, you can make a design for your site that is compatible to mobile devices. If you have seen Fab mobile ecommerce then you can observe that they are using large and clear pictures of their products. Aside from this, they are also using large buttons and simple pages. Each page is only using lesser words. On the other hand, if your site is using small images, numerous texts and too many fields to be filled up by the customer then it can be very daunting.
The next challenge would be to look for the best call to action. In the case of Gilt and Fab, they are using flash sales wherein consumers are enticed to purchase their products instantly. This is appropriate for mobile shoppers who are on the go. After seeing the flash sign, they will purchase the product right away. However, there are chances that your site might not be suitable for flash sales. What can you do in order to compete in the mobile trend? Well, maybe it’s not best to use an ecommerce site. Maybe consumers can “like” your Facebook page. In this way, there is a link between you and the consumer that can be used for marketing in the future. You can also gather the email addresses of your visitors for future use. Using an incentive scheme for a tweet can be another option. Try to investigate what would be the best call to action for you.
Mobile ecommerce is a great technology for those who are selling their products online but it is not for everyone because it requires a lot of investment for the software. Make sure that you have a user-friendly website so that customers can get easily attracted to it. And lastly, try to choose the best call to action to get more sales.
