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Ecommerce After a few false starts, mobile ecommerce seems to be off the tracks at last. Fadi Shuman explains how to get on board
The dawn of m-commerce The news that Tesco is to launch its first transactional mobile app has got me thinking we may at long last be entering the era of m-commerce. There is a plethora of mobile technology that has been unleashed over the last 12 months and I suspect there is still more to come. Potentially the most exciting is the arrival of geolocation apps such as Foursquare and Gowalla (and now Facebook Places), which enable mobiles to pinpoint where you are and allow your friends to see that information. This has huge implications for ecommerce. Just imagine how much influence brands could have now they have the ability to entice a consumer by practically dangling their friends in front of them. So far these applications have been making money from brand sponsorship and advertising, such as Domino’s Pizza announcing it has a special offer minutes away from your current location. As an endorsement of how big some brands think this is going to be, Nike are currently investing more money into this tool than they are into their Nike Town bricks and mortar shops. It looks increasingly
This month’s recommended… Mobile shopping apps Name Google Shopper URL www.google.com/ mobile/shopper/ Info See Google Shopper in action, and marvel at all the new ways Google will be making more money.
likely that mobile location-based marketing tools will make a huge impact this year. Another technology that could be set to change the face of ecommerce is Google Shopper. Though currently only available as a beta on the Android phone in the US, it enables users to take pictures of products, scan barcodes or speak products names and details into their phones, before being presented with everything from reviews to the cheapest online prices for that specific product. Used in conjunction with geolocation technology it can also direct you to a physical store where you can buy a product cheaper. There are certain perceived (and real) limitations with mobile that some retailers have found hard to overcome, for example how you present brand information with such a reduced screen space. But with technology such as this, we’re seeing that mobile is, rather than a small and inferior version of the computer or laptop, a separate marketing tool in its own right. We’re finally starting to understand the potential of mobile and how it can be used effectively – and smart brands are already tapping into it. ●
Name SwebApps URL swebapps.com Info Use this site to build your own iPhone app in minutes, with no coding knowledge required. The Android app builder isn’t yet available. Name Square URL squareup.com Info Square is an application that enables anyone to accept payment cards using their mobile device. Sign up for this excellent, simple-to-use service that will get you selling your wares – be they digital or physical – in less than 15 minutes.
How to… Increase conversion and AOV this Christmas Expert advice Name John Williams Job title CTO Company 10CMS URL 10cms.com
December through February is peak selling season for retail. But with consumer demand depressed and competition fierce, how can retailers maximise their opportunity? Key to success will be delivering a more engaging online experience that features richer, more engaging and inspiring content. Here are four ways that retailers can maximise their selling opportunities in time for Christmas and the New Year.
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1 Optimise home and category pages Around 25 per cent of traffic passes through home and category pages, making them central to enticing users. Lifestyle carousels are a great way to do this, especially when they combine images and video with interactive overlays featuring live merchandising data. 2 Create interactive gifting modules Bespoke gifting modules can provide
site users with prepackaged gift ideas. These modules can also serve as ideal campaign landing pages, driving up conversions. 3 Provide visual wish-list tools Wish-lists are an essential way to drive up Christmas sales. There are huge benefits to enabling users to create visual wish-lists to be shared with friends and family, making gift buying fun and social.
4 Push content into social channels Online retailers that can effectively engage their customers on Facebook can further improve their sales. Interactive merchandising content, with the right tools, can be published offsite, complete with its dynamic merchandising data, enabling users to interact within the Facebook environment and complete a purchase back on-site. Finally, ensure rich content is kept
fresh. Tools like 10CMS can help merchandising teams to manage interactive merchandising content and publish it themselves, reducing time and cost. ●
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