Mobile commerce (m-commerce): It’s time to optimise your business

Smartphones and mobile devices have forever changed the way we live our lives. From how we interact with each other and engage with online content to how we operate our businesses.

But the rise of smartphone adoption combined with innovative mobile device technology such as 5G is accelerating the shift towards another growing market – mobile commerce.

Let’s explore the significance of mobile commerce and the latest trends and best practices for optimising your e-commerce business for mobile devices.

The rise of mobile commerce

Mobile commerce, or m-commerce, refers to any monetary transaction using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Think of it as e-commerce that is just tailored to the mobile experience, which allows users to buy and sell goods and services from anywhere at any time using a mobile device.

The most popular form of m-commerce is making a purchase from a mobile device, but there are other forms of mobile commerce: 

• Mobile banking
• Mobile payments/transactions (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.)
• Mobile ticketing (transport, concerts, etc.)
• Social commerce
• Marketplace apps
• In-app purchasing

If you own a smartphone or mobile device – and haven’t been living under a rock – then you most certainly would have come across and even used one or more of these mobile commerce transaction methods. If you haven’t yet, then your life is about to get a whole lot simpler.

The current state of mobile commerce

With nearly 7 billion global smartphone users currently, worldwide m-commerce sales are projected to hit $534.18 billion in 2024. That figure amounts to 40.4% of global e-commerce sales, so it makes sense to optimise your e-commerce business for mobile commerce.

Just like the post-dot.com boom and desktop/ laptop ownership skyrocketed e-commerce, the same is occurring with m-commerce and the rise of global smartphone adoption. This means that more users are becoming accustomed to conducting most of their shopping on the mobile device. This is especially true for younger, tech-savvy generations like Millenials and Gen-Zs while boomers are a little slower on the uptake – no surprise there.

Mobile commerce trends

To facilitate the functionality and user experience of m-commerce, much of the payment and UX processes of e-commerce are being developed to suit the mobile experience. These include:

Mobile-optimised sites

Most people use their smartphones as their computers to browse, shop, communicate, and pretty much do everything online. Websites are catering to mobile shoppers by optimising their websites to accommodate m-commerce requirements, such as responsive websites and fast-loading content. 

One-click payments

To capitalise on convenience, Amazon, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (and more) have been using one-click payment methods to fast-track the purchase process for a while now. It makes m-commerce a far more simple and enticing shopping experience when all users have to do is input their payment details once and then one-click payment thereafter.

Progressive web apps (PWA)

PWAs are like websites but designed to perform like native mobile apps – only they don’t need to be downloaded from a third-party app store and take up mobile real estate. This boosts m-commerce purchase rates as they have quick loading speeds (reduce bounce rate), can function offline and allow push notifications for deals and discounts. 

Mobile payment wallets

Mobile payment wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay offer safe and seamless mobile payment options, adding to the ease of mobile shopping. Storing virtual copies of a user’s credit card or QR code, payment wallets offer on-demand mobile shopping for users and compliant payment for merchants. 

Mobile chatbots

Mobile chatbots are a growing m-commerce trend and are projected to drive $112 billion in retail sales in 2023. These AI-powered helpers assist mobile shoppers with navigation, customer support, and even purchasing recommendations.

Social commerce

Combining the social experience with one-click payment, social commerce is continuing to drive the e-tail industry. Users don’t have to leave their favourite social platforms to make a purchase, providing a convenient and self-contained experience. Businesses will double down on social commerce strategies to benefit from this lucrative digital shopping intersection.

Voice commerce

The global voice and speech recognition industry was valued at $10.42 billion in 2022, indicating just how much this technology is poised to continue to rise in the coming years. Voice-commanded virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa already help users shop and browse, and businesses need to optimise their web and mobile sites for voice search to not be left behind.

Augmented reality (AR)

As much as 61% of mobile shoppers prefer to buy from sites that offer AR experiences. No surprise then that consumer mobile AR spending is set to reach $4.18 billion by 2024. AR has been a hot digital marketing and e-commerce trend for some time, and as the technology improves along with the capabilities of the average smartphone, AR will continue to drive m-commerce in the following years.

Importance of mobile optimisation

As you can see, optimising your e-commerce website for mobile commerce is no longer an option but rather a necessity in today’s digital landscape. Here’s why:

Enhanced user experience

Mobile-optimised websites and apps provide a seamless and user-friendly experience. Pages load quickly, content is easily accessible, and navigation is intuitive, ensuring that users can browse and make purchases with ease. 

Increased conversion rates

A positive mobile experience can significantly impact conversion rates. Users are more likely to complete a purchase if the website or app is optimised for their mobile devices. A seamless checkout process, easy product browsing, and smooth navigation contribute to higher conversion rates. When the experience is quick and without challenge, users are more likely to make a purchase – and keep returning.

Best practices for mobile optimisation

To ensure your e-commerce website or app is optimised for mobile devices, consider implementing the following best practices:

Responsive web design

Be sure to use responsive web design techniques to create a website that adapts to different screen sizes and resolutions. This delivers a consistent and visually appealing experience across various mobile devices.

Easy navigation

You want users to be able to browse your mobile app/site freely to enhance the user experience. Simplify navigation by using clear menus, intuitive search functionalities, and easy-to-use filters. Seamless navigation helps users find what they are looking for quickly and efficiently, making them more likely to continue browsing and make a purchase.

Loading speed

Mobile users expect fast-loading pages, so make sure your content loads super quickly. You can Optimise your website by reducing file sizes, caching data, and opting for images rather than many videos. This will help reduce loading times and improve overall performance, leaving your users happy to enjoy their mobile shopping experience.

Simple checkout process

You can streamline the mobile checkout process by reducing the number of form fields and add auto-fill features. You can also offer guest checkout options to make the checkout experience smooth and hassle-free.

Mobile payment integration

You don’t want users experiencing any issues during the payment process, it will drive mistrust and be harmful to your reputation. Be sure to incorporate a selection of mobile payment options to enhance convenience and security. You can’t go wrong with popular mobile payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Pay, as these brands are well-known and already have earned user trust.

Summary

Optimising your e-commerce business for mobile devices is no longer a nice to have but rather a must-have. Mobile commerce isn’t going anywhere, in fact, it’s going to become more pervasive than the e-commerce industry due to the widespread adoption of smartphones over laptops. 

Businesses must start to optimise their websites for mobile to get on board with this growing trend. Optimisation is key to reaching wider audiences and provides users with a seamless, user-friendly experience. The more optimised a website is for mobile, the more conversions and customer satisfaction it will drive. 

Mario Grunitz

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