Retail Surgery: How can I maximise sales from mobile devices?

Retailers need to think about what customers want to see on their mobile devices, and when. Websites focus on closing the transaction but mobile interactions need to be more subtle, with less focus on the buy and more focus on research, browsing and inspiration, according to eCommera director of mobile solutions Omid Rezvani.

“Interactions should support customers’ need for information and their desire to browse and research, with transaction opportunities only offered at the most appropriate stage in the shopping journey,” he says.

Digital channels give retailers the opportunity to cultivate customer loyalty and build long-term customer relationships through services via mobile apps. Rezvani suggests that these can include exclusive invitations to special events, special offers based on customers’ buying patterns and notifications informing customers about promotions taking place in stores close to their location.

To successfully enter the m-commerce sector, retailers and brands need the infrastructure and staff to execute a multichannel commerce strategy, Rezvani stresses, and they need apps that can be used on the extensive range of devices available.

“Retailers and brands need to be able to capture, understand and extract actionable insights from the mass of data generated by m-commerce and need a strategy that will enable them to better interact with consumers,” adds Rezvani.