The Rise of the Planet of the Mobile Websites

Here’s some statistics for you:

• 4 out of 5 US consumers are now using their mobile devices to shop.
• 37% of all online sales are expected to come from mobile devices by September of 2013.
• $119 billion in sales expected through mobile devices by 2015.

With these kinds of figures expected over the coming few years, it’s no surprise that a huge amount of websites are going mobile, be it with full responsive websites or even mobile-dedicated apps. However, even with these almost blatant signals of the world moving towards a more… mobile web, a lot of companies are still sticking with the old e-commerce store they had set-up 6 years ago, by a freelancer in their bedroom. Maybe they should take some website design tips from the pros, and get their website onto a mobile friendly platform!

Mobile devices are providing a hugely enriched way for consumers to utilise the web. People can carry out wide-reaching and concise price comparisons, even if they’ve just seen a product they’re interested in a store, they can read reviews and find product information on the fly, and even share their purchases to social networking sites for their friends and family to see. A recent trend has also seen high-street stores offering visiting customers store discounts.

43% of smartphone owners have admitted to using their phones in a store for shopping purchases, 39% have shared product info with friends via various apps, 73% of shoppers prefer consulting the web on their mobile device in-store rather than asking a sales assistant for help, and a whopping 79% download coupons to their phones to use in-store!

Mobile Commerce isn’t just enriching for the user however; the benefits to the stores themselves are mind-boggling. Apart from the obvious benefits of being able to sell more, quickly, sellers now have access to much more in-depth data such as purchase behaviour insights and location & time awareness, which allows them to understand consumer patterns and make more strategic decisions based on this data.

If you’re an online retailer, there are things you can do to make sure you ride the ever-growing success-wave of mobile selling. Make sure you’re analyzing your online mobile market, and are understanding consumer needs. Promote mobile commerce and encourage people to share information about your brand and products socially.

There is an increasingly more mobile world out there, and it’s important for online retailers to embrace the change, rather than fight it.

About the Author

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Pete Campbell is a Web Design Consultant at Jask Group based in London, UK. He built his first website when he was an 11-year-old kid and now helps small businesses and global brands define and execute their online marketing strategies.