4 Tips for Integrating the Online and Offline Shopping Experiences
We've come a long way from relying on physical mail advertisements to catch a whiff of new products without entering a store. With in-store purchases continuing to wane, retailers are experiencing another pivotal shift in purchasing trends: the rise of m-commerce.
This year, smartphone browsing made up more than half of all online traffic on Thanksgiving Day. That traffic drove a 9.5 percent increase in overall online sales on Black Friday. Of those, 27.9 percent occurred on mobile devices, up 28.2 percent from 2013.
Adapting to a Mobile-First World
From a consumer's perspective, the reasons for this shift are obvious. Why wait in long lines when you could simply click "Buy" on the device in your hand? Consumers are spending less time browsing in stores and more time determining the best way to save time and money.
Here are a few other factors fueling the growth of m-commerce:
- Users can now access 4G or LTE internet anytime, anywhere. This convenient access to fast internet connectivity makes mobile shopping painless.
- More retailers are devoting resources to mobile. Brands are realizing the value of funding native apps that offer comprehensive, convenient mobile shopping. Retailers without a native app or a responsive site risk losing customers.
- Agencies and brands have better methods for testing their mobile sites and apps. By researching and directly addressing customers’ needs, retailers are transforming one-time transactions into brand loyalty.
- New technologies are simplifying e-commerce. Apple Pay and iBeacons make m-commerce even simpler, and they're symbolic of a broader change that will likely become the norm in brick-and-mortar stores.
Creating the Ultimate In-Store/Online Experience
The changing e-commerce landscape presents lucrative opportunities for retailers. However, don't close up shop and rely solely on online platforms. Brick-and-mortar locations still play a pivotal role in the online shopping experience.
