Mobile Commerce – The future of shopping on the move?

As technology shows no sign of slowing down, one of the biggest developments in the mobile world has been the adoption of mobile commerce (m-commerce) by customers around the globe. Looking back a few years ago, consumers were apprehensive about entering their credit card details into a computer. The popularity of large marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon has allowed consumers to build trust and confidence when shopping from the comfort of their own home.

In the modern world, m-commerce is revolutionising how customers buy products from their favourite retailers. Research firm Forrester predict that m-commerce is set to grow on average 39% each year from now until 2016 and the percentage of smartphone shoppers has almost doubled over the last 12 months to 23%.

Indeed, there is even speculation that m-commerce will overtake “bricks and mortar” sales. As a direct result, many shop owners are using mobile alongside their websites to help boost sales. So what exactly is driving this trend?

• App investment – more and more apps are being developed and published each day, driving investment within the sector. With more money than ever before circulating within the mobile industry, businesses are looking at innovative ways to engage more closely with their customers.

• Infrastructure enhancement – browsing experiences are improving on an almost daily basis with the introduction of 4G, fibre optic broadband and mobile networks in general. Previously, browsing experiences may have been slow and unresponsive, deterring consumers from purchasing via their smartphone. With the infrastructure improvements, purchase processes are now simple and clean.

• Mobile optimisation – with more and more businesses looking to optimise their websites for mobile devices, customers are now benefiting from a “mobile experience”.

• Engaging devices – the sheer quality of smartphones and tablets has ensured that customers are spending more time on their devices than ever before. It is anticipated in the next few years; mobile usage will surpass desktop/laptop usage and become the go to device for accessing information.

• Digital natives – more and more young people are growing up with smartphones and usage among teenagers in the UK is currently at 81% according to a recent study by eMarketer. Their high comfort level with smartphones is anticipated to lead to acceptance of m-commerce in the long term.

To find out how you can help small and medium sized businesses offer an m-commerce facility to their customers, please contact us today.