Retailers failing to utilise mobile websites despite growth in mobile commerce
Retailers are failing to utilise mobile sites, despite the growing number of consumers comfortable with purchasing through their mobile phones, research has found.
A YouGov survey commissioned by 2ergo found that over half of consumers (54%) who use a smartphone to browse online felt comfortable with mobile-commerce, although over three quarters (76%) of high street retaukers still don’t not have either a mobile site, or one that is optimised with mobile content.
“The new generation of mobile operating systems has brought with it a new breed of consumers, no longer satisfied with simple content and features, but increasingly more comfortable with sharing data and transacting via mobile sites and applications,” said Colin McCaffery, product and technology director for 2ergo. “Our research demonstrates that retailers are very slowly getting to grips with mobile, but are in grave danger of failing to meet customers’ expectations as mobile transactions become more and more acceptable.
“The new generation of mobile operating systems has brought with it a new breed of consumers, no longer satisfied with simple content and features, but increasingly more comfortable with sharing data and transacting via mobile sites and applications,” said Colin McCaffery, Product and Technology Director, 2ergo. “Our research demonstrates that retailers are very slowly getting to grips with mobile, but are in grave danger of failing to meet customers’ expectations as mobile transactions become more and more acceptable.
“Some retailers have gone down the ‘app for app’s sake’ route, which instantly narrows the opportunity they have to engage with customers on a long-term basis. In a competitive market, a robust, multi-channel marketing strategy can help retailers to revolutionise results – attracting new customers and fostering loyalty to generate repeat business. Simply paying lip service to mobile will increasingly alienate a retailer from its customers, as they become increasingly savvy mobile users.”
The research also found that 49% of those comfortable with using mobile commerce found its difficult to view content and 34% cited show websites as a key issue.