Posts tagged smartphones
The Motivation to go Mobile
Jul 13th
The following excerpt is from the article 76% of small retailers not gone mobile, even though 89% want to, finds study, written by Paul Skeldon for Internet Retailing.
Small and medium sized retailers are being left behind when it comes to incorporating mobile commerce as part of their customer offering, finds a study undertaken by Onepoll for MoPowered.
According to the study, 89% of SME retailers cited m-commerce as essential for capturing new business, with many of the merchants surveyed believing that m-commerce sales would grow by a third within the next 5 years. But, only 24% of these retailers actually had a site that is compatible for m-commerce at the time of the survey. The main reasons cited for not going mobile were perceived as high costs, lack of resource and concerns about security.
Dominic Keen, chief executive of MoPowered, an m-commerce solution aimed at the smaller retail sector, says: “The retailers that we spoke to are right in thinking that mobile commerce is essential for their growth. Research from Google shows that 15% of all online traffic is now coming through mobile. This means that not having a mobile optimized site is equivalent to shutting your online store for one day every week.”
Commenting on security concerns around mobile Phillip McGriskin, Chief Product Officer at WorldPay adds: “Retailers should choose an m-commerce provider that takes security seriously and puts security at the heart of everything they do. Customers should experience the same high levels of security through the mobile channel as through e-commerce, as payments systems should be fully compatible with payment card industry standards.”
The study also found that 27% of those questioned had abandoned transactions when shopping via mobile on a non-mobile optimized site. Additionally 79% said they had found shopping via mobile to be slow and difficult to navigate.
Keen adds: “It is important that retailers get their mobile offering right. Retailers that don’t have a mobile site are losing out on transactions as browsers are not being converted into sales due to difficulty in navigating non-mobile optimized sites.”
Talking about the importance of integrating onto the channel Clare Rayner, independent retail expert says: “SME retailers need to take every opportunity possible to ensure that they continue to be part of our retail landscape. Shopping is becoming more and more about multi-channel accessibility and it is therefore essential that independent retailers embrace the opportunity offered by mobile commerce.”
MBS’ new mobile app, On the Go, can resolve this issue for college stores. Because it’s seamlessly integrated with inSite, On The Go pulls data from your e-commerce page so that students can look up buyback prices, textbook prices, and search for general books and merchandise. They can then even purchase their textbook from your store directly through the mobile app. Watch a demo or find out how we can help your store go mobile by talking with your MBS Representative.
Social Media Series: Back-to-School Shopping Means Smartphones and Social Networks
Aug 5th
The following informative article offers a great perspective on upcoming trends that apply to this year’s fall rush. The information was published on InternetRetailer.com and was written by Thad Rueter, Senior Editor. Click here to view the article.
Smartphones and social networks will play prime roles in back-to-school shopping this year, according to a new survey from Deloitte LLP.
The consulting and accounting firm says that 64% of consumers with web-enabled smartphones will use the devices for back-to-school shopping; 61% will use their mobile devices to find the best prices for school products. 43% of consumers will use their smartphones to download discounts, coupons and sales information; 37% to locate a retail store; 29% to receive product information; and 25% to access a retailer’s web site.
“Price-conscious and time-constrained, consumers are navigating virtual and physical storefronts to get the information they want quickly and easily,” says Alison Paul, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP and Deloitte’s retail & distribution sector leader. “Retailers need to respond with an integrated experience. In short, they must unite the store with their online and mobile channels to enable consumers to easily access product availability, promotions and information.”
Deloitte based its findings on surveys conducted between July 5 and July 11 of 1,000 parents of children in kindergarten through the 12th grade. The survey offered no historical data about smartphone use during the back-to-school shopping season.
But Deloitte did find that more consumers will turn to social networks this year for back-to-school shopping. 35% of parents who took part in the survey plan to use social networking sites during their shopping, up from 29% last year. Most parents—69%—will use social media to sniff out promotions, while 44% will use the likes of Facebook to browse products. 28% will seek out product reviews and recommendations via social media. 12% will watch product or retailer videos, while 9% say they will use social networks to post comments and reviews about back-to-school products.
To stay up to speed on these new back-to-school trends, here are some of MBS’ suggestions:
•Integrate QR Codes onto shelf-talkers or in-store signs with additional product information. Learn how.
•Place price comparison information on your inSite e-commerce page through the MBS-Verba integration.
•Talk with your inSite Client Representative about enabling the newly enhanced mobile capabilities of your inSite page.
•Promote sales on your social media sites or add an online coupon tab. Check out some ideas.
•Ensure your location information is easily searchable on websites such as Yelp.
