Mobile Commerce Guide to the Future of Ecommerce
Mobile Commerce Guide To the Future of Ecommerce PDF
To cut to the chase, it is easier, faster, available 24/7, and more user friendly. So it’s time to write the ultimate mobile commerce guide to the future of ecommerce .
When was the last time you paid your phone bill on your carrier’s mobile application ?
When did you last receive money for a freelance job you did on your e-wallet ?
What did you purchase this month from Noon or Souq using your mobile phone ?
That’s mobile commerce . These are all forms of mobile commerce .
What is Mobile Commerce?
Experts define mobile commerce as online sales transactions processed on mobile phones or tablets.
Some say it’s the natural progression of ecommerce. It’s basically ecommerce done on a hand-held device.
Mobile commerce, or let’s use the abbreviation from now on “mcommerce,” comes in three forms:
- Mobile banking : money transactions done using the bank’s mobile application , and services like chatbots and messaging apps.
- Mobile payments : paying and receiving money in different ways with your mobile phone .
- Mobile shopping : selling and buying online, reading product reviews, and recommending items to friends using a mobile or tablet, through mobile optimized websites, dedicated apps, and even social media platforms.
How Effective Mcommerce is in the Middle East ?
Let’s take Saudi Arabia as an example, according to the consumer barometer, 91% of Saudi Arabian consumers use a mobile or a smartphone .
That’s almost the entire Saudi population!
Users in the Middle East are gradually depending on their mobile devices not only for shopping but also for:
- Comparing prices,
- Researching a product before making a purchase,
- Checking a business’s working hours,
- And getting contact information.
Taking Egypt as another example, a recent research by Google highlighted that “the proliferation of mobile devices has made it easier to find, to do, to watch or to buy what we want, when we want. And for marketers, there has never been a better opportunity to attain the holy grail of reaching the right person with the right message at the right time, every time.”
Is Mcommerce Really That Advantageous to My Business ?
Well, the advantages of mobile commerce outnumber the disadvantages for sure.
With a mobile in their hands, shoppers can access a wide variety of products, compare prices, read reviews, and make a purchase decision wherever they are.
Some businesses even took it further and started integrating technologies like Virtual Reality to give the user the luxury of experimenting before buying.
Online retailers are reporting that more than 50% of sales on their websites are coming from mobile devices .
Mcommerce also offers users a variety of payment options which eases their checkout and increases conversion rates .
But, some argue that mcommerce on the other side might entail some challenges, if not dealt with smartly, can be a pitfall rather than a blessing.
How Does ExpandCart Store Overcome Mcommerce Dangers?
If your store is hosted on ExpandCart , you can easily dodge a lot of mobile commerce challenges to your business .
1. The Need for Continuous Optimization
The first challenge a store faces is that it needs to be always updated with latest advancements and to undergo constant development in order to be optimized for mobile users.
ExpandCart spares you the hassle of developing, checking speed, and keeping track of latest technologies.
Your store is constantly updated through our platform.
Your store is hosted on the best cloud hosting ever, Amazon Web Services (AWS), on servers dedicated solely to the Middle East . This guarantees a fast-loading website and a zero-hanging performance.
Not only that, all templates are fully responsive to all types and sizes of devices.
So, one problem down, two to go…
2. Confusion with Many Payment Options
Recent studies highlighted the issue that users get lost or confused when they have to choose among a variety of payment options.
Some payment services are also available in certain countries, and certain countries do not accept certain payment methods, and so on.
Needless to say that any difficulties in the final step of purchasing a product, payment, will definitely affect sales and ROI and, consequently, customer loyalty to a specific store .
Again, ExpandCart customers do not have to worry about that.
Why is that?
Because the platform provides payment options that are selected smartly to fit users’ needs without getting them into a loop of confusion.
For instance, your store supports universal payment providers like PayPal, ApplePay, and stripe.
In addition to world-known payment options, your online store on ExpandCart supports payment options that serve specific countries in the Middle East, i.e.:
- FastPay in Iraq,
- Edfa3ly in Libya,
- PayTabs in Morocco,
- And MobiPay in the Sudan.
One-click solutions are preferable for a hassle-free checkout and an enjoyable online shopping experience.
Tip: there is always the preferred-to-many Cash on Delivery option, an option that works in many cases and countries.
Bonus tip: a fast checkout builds a base of loyal customers to your store , where they don’t have to enter card information and shipping address every time and fill out multiple forms.
Page Speed and Mobile Commerce
How fast a page loads, specially on a mobile , is a crucial factor to consider for three reasons:
- More than 50% of search queries happen on a mobile device;
- It only takes a user 3 seconds to bounce back from a landing page if it doesn’t load;
- Thus, storefronts that are mobile optimized get preference in the ranking algorithm.
Again, creating a free online store with ExpandCart gives you an unlimited bandwidth on the fastest servers in the Middle East — winner winner chicken dinner ;)
Does a Mobile App Add Value to Business ?
Optimizing your website to be responsive on smartphones is good, but never enough in 2020 and on.
Many researches, done by Google and other entities, indicate the importance of a seamless mobile experience for not only B2C but also B2B business models.
When customers shop from within your app, their “experience” is controlled by your app environment, and there is a big chance they do not compare prices among many vendors.
You can take it even further and offer special discounts and incentives exclusively for app shoppers.
Bonus Tip: have you heard about beacons? Beacons are small transmitters you can use to send special offers to a customer’s mobile phone based on his/her location.
So yes, a successful business cannot afford not having a dedicated mobile app to attract more visitors and make loyal customers out of them.
A Summary for How to Optimize for Mobile Commerce
Let’s recap…
It’s become a must to optimize your online store or website for mobile and tablet users.
People compare prices online even if they’re gonna make the actual purchase in person, so make it easy for them to contact you or find your physical shop (if you gave one) if they decided on yours.
Help customers feel more confident to buy your product by providing a good detailed description, high quality pictures with the ability to zoom in, interesting videos, and reviews if possible.
Increase conversion rate by 100% by including alternative payment options for customers to choose from, whether widely known like PayPal and Stripe or country-specific as FastPay or Edfa3ly.
Urge your users to save their information on your site or app to use the next time they log in. This helps a lot in saving time, in addition to minimizing the forms on the page and trying to autofill what you can.
You are always welcome to Chat with one of ExpandCart experts to know how your store is completely mobile friendly with our platform.
No credit card required and no hidden fees.
