Series: E-commerce, mobile becomes the No. 1 purchasing channel

Mobile, the essential purchasing channel: find out why and how to optimise the e-commerce experience

Mobile is now the number one channel for online purchases. After analysing the data from our installed base and the results we've seen from our e-merchant customers over 12 months, it's clear that the smartphone has become the keystone of e-commerce. But why has the mobile become so central? And how can we meet the expectations of hyper-connected consumers to maximise sales performance?

To answer these questions, we've put together two complementary articles exploring the new dynamics of mobile in e-commerce, and the essential features needed to convert effectively on this device.

The mobile dictates its law... The majority of e-commerce is carried out via the smartphone

The first article highlights the massive adoption of the mobile by consumers and the profound changes it is imposing on e-commerce sites.

• Why mobile is no longer just an ‘issue’, but the very heart of e-commerce.
  
  
• How mobile is changing purchasing behaviour: volatility, speed, preferential use of search engines.
  
  
• The special case of sectors such as fashion, beauty and FMCG, where mobile dominates visits and sales.
  
  
• The need for a ‘Mobile First’ approach to capture and convert users on smartphones.

These findings are backed up by 23 KPIs derived from our analyses in the field, providing a precise, factual view of this unavoidable change.

Four key features to save sales on mobile

The second article looks at the technological tools that make the difference on mobile, where space is limited and speed is essential.

• Buying Intent Completion, to speed up the formulation of purchasing needs thanks to personalised suggestions.
  
  
• Categories Recommendations, to guide consumers through an often vast catalogue and help them refine their choices.
  
  
• Dynamic Guidance & Filtering, intelligent filters adapted to mobile phones to support users without cluttering up the screen.
  
  
• Voice Commerce, voice search that frees up the spoken word and adapts perfectly to mobile use

Each feature is illustrated by concrete use cases in different sectors (home furnishings, DIY, technical goods), with results measured in terms of increased conversions and sales.

These two articles provide a clear and comprehensive overview of how mobile has become the dominant shopping platform, and how e-retailers can leverage technological innovations to meet the expectations of an increasingly demanding consumer.

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