Getting started with mcommerce

In this guide we present all the information required to answer one question: Is it worth taking the mcommerce plunge?

By Suzie Larcombe

In this article we will:

1. Help you decide whether or not it’s worth creating a simple mobile commerce website.
2. Consider what it’s likely to cost.
3. Help you establish whether it’ll help increase turnover.
4. Give you 3 Top Tips to get started and 3 Top Tips for design and content.

If you already run an ecommerce website, the chances are that you’ll have mobile commerce firmly on your business development agenda.  Maybe you’ve already explored some options, or perhaps you’re hoping it’ll just go away and you’ll get off without making tough decisions?  Either way, read on and we’ll help you decide the best way ahead.

Is mobile commerce worth the hassle?

There’s no getting away from the fact that more and more of us are replacing our desktops or laptops with our mobile phones and as such we’re constantly extending the activities that we carry out on our phones.  A communication tool that was originally accepted as a mere alternative to a fixed telephone line is now acting as an integral part of most of our lives, irrespective of our age or gender.

Not so very long ago we wouldn’t have believed that we’d ever shop online to the extent we do, so it makes complete sense that when we shop in the future, we’re likely to rely on our phones rather than our desk or laptops.

For this reason alone, it’s essential that as an ecommerce professional, you stay up to date with what’s happening and set yourself up to take the plunge when the time’s right for you and your business.

While mobile commerce, or M-commerce as it is often known is still in its relative infancy, it’s only too clear that the mobile revolution will make its presence truly felt, sooner rather than later.

In the US and in Japan particularly, the mobile commerce revolution is already more developed than in the UK and is pretty much in full flow.  And, as with most things, when the east and the west cough, the UK catches cold.  So, watch out, mobile commerce is on its way!

As a result, whether you do it today or do it soon, you should make sure your mobile commerce plans are firmly in place in order to track down and seduce your all-important consumers.

How much will a mobile friendly site cost?

Making your ecommerce website mobile friendly is something your web designer/developer should be proactively discussing with you right now.  They should be talking to you about customising your site so it can be viewed across all devices using the same URL, without increasing load time in particular, or they should be talking to you about developing a new, mobile site.

In terms of what it will cost, basic conversion kits can be downloaded free of charge if you only have a limited product range.  If you need a more complex solution, these start at only a few pounds a month, going up to a few hundred pounds a year for unlimited product numbers and things like app submissions and Apple/Google developer accounts.

The sophistication of solution you need will affect the price and, like all things in business will depend on your objectives and the size of your ecommerce business.

Will mobile commerce increase my turnover?

Like any website, a mobile commerce site won’t increase turnover without promotion, persuasion and conversion, but with the right mobile strategy in place, there is evidence that a 10% increase in turnover is a reasonable expectation in the states, with Europe reporting an estimated 11% increase after going mobile.

In numbers terms, this translates into an astounding estimated ecommerce sales total of 370 billion US dollars in the States and just over 247 billion US dollars in Europe by the year 2017 [1].  So, irrespective of whether it’s the big boys leading the way or the minnows, there’s no getting away from the fact that staying ahead of the game when it comes to reaching out to your consumers is the best way to increase your turnover.

Getting started

Here are our Top 3 Tips for getting started on mobile commerce:

1. Make sure your ecommerce site is as good as it can be.
2. Reduce your risk by getting your ecommerce website mobile-enabled, either starting with a free conversion option or with a low cost option to test the water.
3. Promote you mobile presence on your ecommerce site and on the social

   …and our top design and content tips

4. The first and most important thing about mobile commerce is that it mustn’t take an eternity to load.  Keep your images small and your product descriptions brief and you won’t lose your visitors in the wait.
5. Second, put your most popular products in the front of your shop window.  Keep your best sellers at the top of your search results so you get the most exposure following a search.
6. Make your search box prominent, complete with auto-suggestions that appear in order of popularity.

[1] Statistics quoted on 21webmerce.com, 18th March 2013, article by Peter Horsten.