The mobile revolution is creating the need for an evolved commerce strategy, writes James Spalding, managing director of e2x. Here, he outlines his views on how businesses can learn to succeed during the transitional period
James Spalding, managing director of e2x
In 2011, sales of smart phones exceeded PCs for the first time. In the coming years the number of mobile devices will dwarf the number of PCs. Relatively speaking, we are still at the early stages of smart phone adoption; roughly 12% of the world’s population use one, however the statistic is more like 46% in the US.
It’s still fair to say the smart phone demographic is adults aged 18 to 50, however before long this will diversify dramatically.
By 2015 the number of global internet users will double, with most accessing the web via a mobile device. The shift to universal mobile usage is undeniable, happening at blistering speed and having a big effect on the way commerce is conducted.
TWO CAMPS
There is still a significant requirement to cater for ‘silver surfers’ (internet users over the age of 50) and those that don’t consider the internet as an option for shopping at all. The demand on businesses to not isolate these audiences, while at the same time effectively responding to the mass mobile migration, can pull them in different directions.
Eventually, it will be normal practice for people to do their grocery shopping online while on the commute home from work, instead of at the supermarket. However, at the moment retailers find themselves with a foot in both camps.
OMNICHANNEL
The mobile revolution is creating the need for an evolved commerce strategy. However, before you rush out to hire a chief mobile officer, consider this: surely a commerce approach should be fully focused on being seamlessly omnichannel. Where is the logic in creating distinct retail, web and mobile channels and confusing and alienating your customers in the process?
In the end it boils down to providing the most convenient customer experience, as well as ensuring the customer has that same fuzzy feeling of being your customer regardless of the channel. The good news is that ecommerce solutions, such as e2x’s RoadRunner, are built to support the ‘omnichannel’ customer experience. So, for businesses that have the ambition and vision, solutions are available.
THE OMNICHANNEL OFFICER
Alongside such solutions, we believe there is an increasing case for hiring a chief omnichannel officer. This person’s responsibility it is to provide a unified customer experience, irrespective of the channel. Recent research by IMRG found mobile conversion rates were very low – just 1.4% of visitors to mobile commerce sites in Q1 2012 paid for something, compared to 4.13% of traditional online website visitors.
Clearly, clearly customers are experiencing hesitation or frustration when they visit mobile sites. Security fears, a perceived lack of choice or the sheer annoyance of inputting security bank codes via a fiddly mobile keyboard, are all capable of dissuading customers. It is the chief omnichannel officer’s job to address these issues.
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