M-Commerce Gap is creating major problems for retailers
With the holiday season approaching rapidly, retailers have been looking for ways to better serve consumers on mobile devices. The mobile shopping experience has been a harrowing problem for retailers in the past, with some 97% of all mobile purchases being abandoned. This is referred to as the “M-Commerce Gap” by comScore and has been a major problem for retailers despite the growing prevalence of mobile commerce.
Majority of mobile purchases are left abandoned because of poor shopping experience
According to comScore, some 60% of all digital shopping time is spent on a mobile device, but these devices account for only 15% of all e-commerce spending. This is largely due to the cumbersome experiences that consumers have when shopping with their mobile devices. This is a problem that retailers have been experiencing for some time, and companies like Apple and Google may be able to help by making mobile wallets and other services more capable of handling consumer needs.
Companies are finding ways to improve the mobile shopping experience
Last week, Apple had announced that it will be creating a category specifically for mobile commerce in its app store. This is expected to make it easier for consumers to make purchases with their mobile devices. Additionally, Pinterest has announced the launch of the Pinterest Shop, which features more than 60 million buyable pins. Other companies and social media powers have been following suit, providing consumers with ways to make purchases online, allowing them to sidestep the problematic checkout experiences that they have had with conventional retail outlets.
Improved mobile commerce experiences could ensure retailers are able to connect with consumers more effectively
Overall, the mobile commerce experience has been somewhat troublesome for consumers. While many have praised the convenient nature of mobile shopping, poor experiences have left many consumers wanting. Improving these experiences could ensure that retailers have a successful holiday shopping season. While retailers will see significantly more activity through traditional channels, the mobile space represents a great deal of promise that they may not want to miss out on.
