Over the past decade, widespread adoption of mobile devices
and expansion of mobile functionality has seen mobile online shopping (i.e.
purchasing goods on mobile device) steadily grow. As discussed in the article
by Patrick Kulp, consumers traditionally made online purchases through their
desktops, yet have steadily transitioned to mobile. Despite this shift, mobile
still has its downsides with many consumers still reluctant to make purchases
from a smartphone. In reference to consumer’s hesitancy to purchase, the article
notes that “surveys often chalk this reluctance up to the constraints of small
screens, cluttered and clunky shopping sites that don't translate well to
phones, and payment security worries.” So, although consumers aren’t as eager
to make purchases on their mobile devices, it is noted that “two thirds of
retail site or app traffic now comes from mobile…even though consumers are less
than half as likely to buy something there.”
With this article, it doesn’t seem that mobile vs. desktop
is an either/or decision but rather two retail avenues that complement and
support each other. Investment in both mobile and desktop display will be
critical for the future of retailers, and will help drive growth from one
platform to the next. Additionally, strong site UIs, with a focus on user
experience across all platforms will be critical for retailers to convert web
traffic to sales.
These evolving online shopping habits will place a greater
importance on a firm’s ability to collect and sync customer data across
platforms. Even today, retailers are attempting to manage troves of customer
data to attribute the purchase to a channel or channels. Understanding how these
platforms complement each other will help drive the marketing decisions and
dollars for online mobile shopping.
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