Last week, guest speaker Sucharita Mulpuru, Vice President, Principal Analyst at Forrester Research joined us for our monthly webinar to discuss how the growth of mobile is creating opportunities (and challenges) for retailers. Read on for our takeaways on the state of mobile today, as well as 3 recommendations for brands and retailers looking to leverage the shift toward mobile.
Mobile is Growing — And Retailers Are Taking Note
It’s no secret that mobile is growing quickly. For many retailers, mobile traffic is creeping up on desktop traffic. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a retailer to see 50% or more of its traffic coming from mobile. And mobile sales are making up an ever-increasing portion of overall online sales.
According to The State Of Retailing Online 2016: Key Metrics, Business Objectives, And Mobile, a February 2016 Forrester Research report based on a study conducted with Shop.org, mobile currently accounts for 44% of online traffic (with 29% coming from smartphones alone). And mobile (including phones and tablets) accounts for an average of 31% of online sales.
It’s clear retailers are taking note of this growth in mobile. The same report referenced above found that mobile tied with marketing for the top priority of surveyed retailers in 2015.
Consumers are Using Their Phone for Many Shopping Related Activities
Consumers are using their phones throughout the purchase journey — even when they’re in a physical store. In-store shoppers are using their phones for research-related activities, including comparing prices, redeeming coupons, and looking up product information.
3 Recommendations for Retailers
Sucharita gave 3 key recommendations for retailers looking to leverage the shift toward mobile.
- Ensure your mobile content addresses shoppers’ questions. Now, more than ever, consumers are using their mobile devices to find information while researching products. Make sure it’s easy for shoppers to find all the information they’re looking for — including pricing, reviews, and store hours — regardless of the device they’re using.
- Enable product information to be visible on third party sites, too. Shoppers aren’t just visiting brand and retailer sites to find product information. They’re also gathering information on search engines, maps, and third party shopping aggregators — just to name a few. Make sure the information your shoppers want is available on these third party sites.
- Keep an eye on the bright, shiny objects. But don’t be distracted by them. It’s import to stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in retail and ecommerce technology. But that doesn’t mean you need to immediately invest in every new innovation you hear about. Sometimes, it pays to wait it out.
Looking for ways to incorporate mobile into your ecommerce strategy? Here are 4 Tips to Meet Shoppers’ Expectations Via Mobile.
