Retail surgery: How can I use m-commerce to increase sales?

A recent report from IMRG and Capgemini found that 40% of online sales were completed on a smartphone or tablet device. As wearable devices such as the Apple Watch come to market, the mobile commerce trend looks likely to continue to pick up speed.

So how can retailers prepare for and capitalise on this development in online retail?

“Faced with some high rates of growth and a huge opportunity to drive sales, ignoring mobile is simply not an option for retailers in 2015,” says Giulio Montemagno, international senior vice-president of digital marketplace RetailMeNot.

The important thing to remember is that consumers don’t think of retailers having separate online, offline or mobile channels. Instead, customers just want to find the best offers in the way that is most convenient for them at any given time, whether that be browsing on mobile or buying in-store or vice versa.

It is therefore essential for retailers to have a strategy in place to make the most of the potential of mobile retail to boost sales and increase customer engagement.

“The retailers that profit from the trend of mobile commerce will have integrated smartphone-friendly technologies such as geolocalisation, beacons and mobile coupons into their online strategies,” says Montemagno.

“This commitment to mobile sales will enable retailers to target shoppers when they are open to offers and encourage them to purchase using the device they have in hand.”