M-Commerce is not only influencing a consumer at the point of sale, but bringing the point of sale to the consumer. The proportion of consumers buying goods via a mobile device has also soared world-wide, from 10% in 2008 to 28% in 2010. Research via IMRG & Capgemini shows that sales via mobile devices was up 138% in 2013, with these sales accounting for 30% off the total online retail spend. By 2015 a mobile device is sure to be part of every omnichannel shopping journey, with mobile sales accounting for 40% of the overall turnover by 2020.
Today M-Commerce encourages people to browse items because it’s easy, can be done at anytime and anywhere. Statistics in Retail Week revealed that nearly 20% of people who browse, end up buying, therefore the M-Commerce journey needs to be a simple one.
There are now more than 17million UK shoppers now making purchases via smartphones, with this popularity in mobile devices now having changed the way consumers research, browse, buy, and transact online. People are becoming increasingly impatient, which has also had a direct impact on ‘click-and-collect’. Customers aren’t prepared to wait for deliveries, they want their items immediately and this push towards ‘click-and-collect’ has ultimately driven consumers back in to ‘bricks and mortar’ stores.
With barcode scanning, QR codes, location based services, ‘check ins’ and coupons supported by mobile devices it can open up lots more opportunities for brands in terms of marketing, merchandising and customer acquisition campaigns – with more customer touch points, comes further sales as a result of direct engagement over numerous channels.
This growth in M-Commerce has meant that shoppers increasingly expect convenience speed and choice as standard. Mobile devices need to cater to these demands, with optimised content, offering quick and simple presentation and navigation. Retailers therefore have to take a fresh look at their operation to keep up with customer demands, often designing the customer approach with one that thinks about the mobile journey first.
However the mobile journey doesn’t just stop with customers. It is one which is becoming more and more part of retailers operating strategies. Therefore, with current demands to provide real time stock availability, ensuring you have a central stock pool becomes critical.
Our supply chain solution Merret has been designed and constructed for today’s omnichannel world, with a complete end-to-end solution letting the customer choose how, when and where they want to shop. This provides the customer with a seamless and consistent experience across multiple devices – ideal for the current growth in M-Commerce platforms.
If you would like more information about our Merret supply chain then please visit our website: http://www.retail-assist.co.uk/merret-supply-chain/. You can also email us on: info@retail-assist.co.uk or call us on: +44 (0) 115 853 3910