Contributed article in our business series. Enjoy! – Kimberly
Mobile device users are doing more shopping from their smartphones and tablets, the latest Monetate Ecommerce Quarterly report for Q2 2015 indicates. With worldwide smartphone shipments reaching 1.44 billion, the average number of page views per visit from mobile devices rose from 6.22 in Q1 to 6.29 in Q2. This correlated with a 9 percent rise in conversion rates and a 3.4 percent increase in average order value, which rose to $118.26. As mobile commerce grows in popularity, businesses are adapting by adopting technological innovations that support consumer demand for smartphone shopping. Here are a few mobile technology trends that companies doing e-commerce business should pay close attention to.
Responsive Web Design
As the range of mobile devices expands, the variety of screen sizes consumers are using to visit websites is also diversifying to include not only smartphones but also tablets and phablets, and on the near horizon, wearables. Wearable web browsing has not yet become a significant factor in web design, but WebdesignerDepot editor Benjie Moss anticipates that this will change, leading to a shift toward audio content delivery and user input methods. Moss foresees this leading to a design standard which places primacy on audio-first content, supported by visual content that is built to display well at any screen size. To make your site display well at all sizes, be sure your designer is using responsive web design, which adjusts screen display to the device and browser your site visitor is using. As user experience specialist Danielle Arad explains, changes such as adjusting button sizes to match your visitor’s screen can make it easier for customers to navigate your site.
Touch Features
Responsive web designs are inspiring new ways for users to interface with their devices. Apple’s new iPhone 6s includes 3D Touch, a feature introduced by the iPhone 6, which recognizes the amount of pressure the user is applying to a button and uses this to distinguish different desired actions, much like right-clicking a mouse accesses different navigation options. Microsoft has also moved toward touch-oriented interfaces, prompting Adobe to redesign its core apps to be touch-friendly on Windows devices. Talk to your web designer about how you can make your company’s website more touch-friendly for mobile users. Microsoft provides some guidelines for making websites touch-ready.
Mobile Payment Processing
A 2015 Federal Reserve survey found that 28 percent of smartphone users and 22 percent of mobile users in general had made a mobile payment during the past year, numbers expected to increase in coming years. Samsung is the latest provider seeking to capitalize on this trend, introducing Samsung Pay to the United States this month with the intent of upstaging Apple Pay. Samsung’s new mobile payment system has an advantage over Apple in that 85 percent of recent Android devices are already equipped to activate magnetic-stripe card readers by simply holding them over the spot where a credit card would normally be swiped. As more consumers begin using mobile payment options, make sure your business is ready to accept their payments.
Mobile Security
The rise of mobile payments has imparted renewed urgency to consumer concerns about smartphone security. A recent IDG survey of global IT leaders found that 74 percent have experienced data breaches due to mobile security vulnerability. Eighty-two percent said most of their corporate data is accessible by mobile device, making this a major concern. Magic Software UK Managing Director Stephan Romeder lists some key steps enterprises should take to protect their data and avoid liability for stolen consumer information. These include using multi-factor authentication, customizing access permissions to prevent access from unauthorized locations or outside business hours, containing enterprise data within designated workspaces on devices where it can be blocked or wiped if needed, and using data encryption.
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