A while back, we published a blog entitled 4 Tips for Smarter eCommerce. In a world with tens of millions of eCommerce sites, this blog included useful tips on how to help your eCommerce succeed.
Although the follow up to the above-mentioned blog is a bit overdue, we thought it would make sense to follow up that post with some information regarding eCommerce’s child/sibling/whatever: mobile eCommerce or mCommerce. Since all the tips regarding eCommerce apply to mCommerce (cross-sell, user experience, etc.) we decided a good follow-up would address the importance of utilizing all eCommerce platforms.
The following statement will surprise no one: people spend a lot of time using their phones. They use their phones while walking, they use their phones while sleeping (think sleep tracking apps), disregarding life and limb, they use their phones while driving, and yes - they use their phones while shopping. With the incredible, some might even say, comical, amount of time we (including me, but not while driving) spend staring at these four to six-inch screens might lead someone to believe that mCommerce is the “be all, end all”, but please consider this…
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, eCommerce retail sales increased by 16% to $453.5 billion in 2017, and mCommerce accounted for $156 billion of those sales. While mCommerce generates a great deal of revenue, desktop eCommerce is still leading the pack. This means that you cannot solely put all of your effort into the hand-held market. An omni-channel presence is necessary to maximize your efforts when it comes to making sales via the Internet.
It’s important to remember that while you’re busy providing your customers their preferred method of shopping, you must remember your customer also has a preferred method of communicating with you. Part of the omni-channel platform is delivering a multi-channel support system. Email, phone, website chatbots and even social media could be included as methods for customers to get in touch with your business. It’s all about delivering a person’s preferred method of communication – on their preferred time schedule - to improve their customer experience.
Navigating the ins and outs of the modern commerce landscape is challenging. Each of the various online and offline channels provide their own challenge - and reward. The true potential of omni-channel commerce lies in your ability to unify the channels into one, harmonious user experience.
Jon Christofferson
Digital Communications Specialist
Jon Christoffersen is a Digital Communications Specialist and has been with Global Payments Integrated since 2013. Jon has been in marketing and communications since 1998 working for various companies within the hospitality and tourism industry. Jon is a journalist by trade and served numerous years in the U.S. Army where he developed and managed public relations campaigns.
