Come to stay – Mobile commerce 2015

Mobile’s share of online sales has been growing steadily with the proliferation of tablets. It accounted for more than 16 percent of the total online sales worldwide last year (1) – in spite of declining sales figures for tablets during the last quarter. If we consider the fact that, in Germany, m-commerce sales has more than doubled last year compared to 2013, the importance of a suitable e-commerce strategy becomes evident.
But sales figures are not the only reason why retailers should focus on mobile commerce. Many customers use their smartphones to get more information about interesting products, but the lion’s share of online sales is still done via PCs and laptops. It seems that, as a general rule, the bigger the screen, the higher the conversion rate. Shoppers may use mobile solutions as a source of information and to identify relevant products sitting comfortably on a sofa, but usually they would buy them using a PC or a notebook. If the way your product is presented on mobile devices is not appealing, then the customer will not consider it when making a choice.
The role of mobile commerce is to guide the customer through his journey, whether he found his way to you via Web, App or catalog. It’s an important link between information and conversion rate and will prove to be an increasingly important channel next to print media and online commerce.
Unfortunately, it’s often the least engaging channel for customers, as it is often complicated, tedious and slow. It often spoils your customers’ shopping experience. Don’t force your customer to use more traditional channels!
The time is ripe for an e-commerce strategy that integrates mobile commerce as an equal partner. The future of mobile commerce has never been as bright as it is today. Particularly now, when tablets and smartphones are becoming increasingly popular among users aged over 40 years.

(1) ACID 21: Mobile Commerce in Deutschland, https://www.acid21.com/Blog/Mobile-Commerce-in-Deutschland-Infografik/