It’s a brave new world in online retail, as mobile purchasing tops the short list of hot online retail trends for 2016. But while consumers are clamoring for mobile purchasing mechanisms, many brands simply aren’t prepared to deliver high-quality mobile buying experiences.
Ready or not, mobile buying is here. And that means multi-channel marketers not only need to get up to speed on the factors that are driving mobile purchases, but they also should begin implementing one-click buying and other tools that make it easy for customers to complete transactions on mobile devices.
Mobile Purchasing: Why Now?
Data captured in the Q3 2015 Email Marketing Compass report (registration required) by Yesmail (my employer) shows that mobile purchasing is finally catching on with consumers. In Q3, iPhones generated a quarter-over-quarter revenue gain of 13.1 percent and a year-over-year gain of 46 percent. Total mobile revenue is up 9.9 percent from the same time last year.
What’s driving consumer demand for mobile purchasing? Two things: Smartphones are getting bigger, and mobile purchasing experiences are getting better — but not across the board.
The brands that are benefiting the most from mobile purchasing are the ones that realize it takes both the right devices and the right mobile user experiences to achieve mobile revenue growth.
The Evolution Of Smartphones
Does it seem like smartphones are getting bigger? You’re not imagining things. Over the past several years, smartphone sizes have grown dramatically. Consider the evolution of the iPhone:
From the iPhone (released in 2007) to the iPhone 6 Plus, the screen size of Apple’s smartphones has increased by nearly 60 percent, and screen resolution has improved more than three times. Similar changes have occurred in the screen size and resolution of Android devices.
Combined with faster mobile performance, improved resolution and larger screen sizes have made it much easier for consumers to complete transactions on their mobile devices. The result is that many consumers now use their smartphones as primary tools for both shopping and purchasing.
One-Click Buying And The Mobile Purchasing Experience
Larger smartphones give consumers the tools they need to make mobile purchasing a viable option. But the other piece of the mobile purchasing puzzle is the quality of the mobile buying experience itself.
Increasingly, consumers are rewarding brands that make the mobile purchasing process as quick and painless as possible.
One-click buying has become the preferred purchase mechanism for mobile consumers. With the click of a single button, mobile shoppers can bypass clumsy form fields and instantly finalize their purchases.
Not surprisingly, Amazon was one of the first online retailers to board the one-click bandwagon. In addition to including “Buy now with 1-Click” buttons on product pages, Amazon has taken the one-click purchase concept to the next level with Amazon Dash buttons — a partnership with select brands that allows shoppers to purchase physical buttons for reordering common household products.
Your kids ate the last box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese? Not a problem. Just press Kraft’s dedicated Dash button on the side of your fridge, and Amazon will have a resupply of mac and cheese in the mail and on your doorstep in a flash.
Although Amazon was a pioneer in one-click, it doesn’t hold a monopoly on the one-click concept. Similar mechanisms have emerged to make it easier for mobile shoppers to complete purchases across a range of brands and e-commerce providers.
The bottom line is that one-click purchasing tools complete the circle. Consumers already own the mobile devices they need to make mobile purchasing an attractive option.
Now, it’s up to marketers to do their part and provide user experiences that simplify mobile purchases.
Mobile Purchasing Tips For Marketers
Given the pace of growth in mobile purchasing, brands have a financial stake in motivating customers to complete transactions on their mobile devices. To capture their brands’ share of mobile revenue, there are several steps marketers need to take now.
• Create exceptional mobile experiences. A stellar mobile shopping experience is a prerequisite for mobile revenue improvement. At this point, responsive design is a given for any serious online brand.
The next step is to closely evaluate the mobile customer journey and identify ways to make it easier for customers to complete transactions on their smartphones.
• Implement one-click purchasing. One-click mechanisms are currently the gold standard in mobile purchasing. They’re simple and convenient, and consumers love them.
Brands that don’t already offer one-click mechanisms should consider tools that cost-effectively enable mobile purchasing.
• Nail integrated marketing fundamentals. A simple mobile purchasing experience has no value unless it is supported by a comprehensive, integrated marketing plan.
In addition to creating a streamlined mobile buying experience, brands needs to invest time and energy in email, PPC (pay per click), search and other digital marketing fundamentals.
Welcome to the wonderful world of one-click buying. Today’s mobile users have both the devices and the desire to complete transactions from their smartphones.
Now it’s in marketers’ hands — the only real barrier to mobile revenue growth is the brand’s ability to create effortless mobile purchasing experiences.
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