What do you need to know about m-commerce?
Widespread access to mobile devices has changed the way we enjoy the benefits of the Internet. Today, mobile versions of websites are a standard. Everything seems to indicate that soon mobile commerce (m-commerce), i.e. making purchases via smartphones, will become a part of our daily life.
Will it replace e-commerce? We do not know yet, but the data clearly indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out. Already 69% of Polish Internet users declare that they make purchases using mobile devices.
What else should you know about m-commerce and how will it change the e-commerce market? Check it out!
Laptop users vs. smartphone users
What do you think, do more people in the world use smartphones or laptops? It may come as a surprise to you, but there are 3.9 billion smartphone users worldwide (according to Statista) and only just over 2 billion PCs (according to Forrester Research).
This is valuable knowledge about your future customers and also an argument for m-commerce to grow. Retailers need to adapt their offerings to the demands of mobile users if they want to grow their businesses.
Mobile chatbots
Changing the channels in which consumers make purchases will also change the channels in which they are served. Chatbots are a relatively popular tool – but they are most often found on desktop versions of websites.
The rise in popularity of m-commerce is sure to change that.
Importantly, they will be used not only for customer service, but also to facilitate transactions for consumers. After all, nothing stands in the way of making them through a chatbot.
Voice shopping
The popularity of voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa is growing every year.
We use them via mobile devices, of course. Until a few years ago, we mainly used them to get answers to simple questions. However, there are many indications that soon we will be using their support to shop online.
One simple command and the expected package will arrive at your doorstep. This is what the future may look like.
M-commerce and social media
Another channel very much related to m-commerce is social media. There’s no denying that Instagram, Facebook and Messenger are used today mainly on smartphones.
In the future it will also be possible to make purchases directly from social media posts – with a single click, of course.
Mobile app stores
M-commerce is not only about buying in traditional online stores via smartphones. It’s all about mobile apps that enable all sorts of purchases.
But before users can use them, they have to download them – from a store like the App Store or Google Play.
And where there are stores, there are reviews, which you can easily manage thanks to AIBusters tool. But the most important thing is that thanks to it you can learn about your customers’ needs and adjust the application to their requirements.
Our tool automatically analyzes users’ opinions in app stores and generates clear reports, summarizing their content.
Of course, there is also an option to automatically respond to customer feedback.
Multichannel experience
M-commerce will not replace other e-commerce in 100%. At least not in the coming years.
Customers will still visit stores or websites if they wish to do so. In many situations, however, they will choose mobile applications over more traditional channels.
What does this mean for your company? You need to provide them with the same level of experience regardless of the channel. Of course, we are talking about customer service, but also marketing communication or the design of individual elements in line with the user experience.
Summary
Smartphones have made us stop using paper maps, visiting banks that often, and most of all – using desktop computers. They are also changing the way we shop online.
Automation will help you adapt your business to the expectations of modern consumers. Find out more about the possibilities of AIBusters automation engine!