Tag: e-commerce

Mobile commerce is picking up steam in the US

| July 23, 2015

Survey shows that more people are using their mobile devices when shopping

Retailers may need to become more mobile-centric, as consumers begin relying more heavily on their smartphones when they shop. SessionM, a mobile loyalty company, recently released the results of a survey of 12,000 randomly selected smartphone users in the United States, questioning them about their mobile shopping behavior. According to the survey, 85% of respondents said that they were quite involved in mobile commerce, with many suggesting that their mobile commerce activity increased over what it had been over a year ago.

Mobile shopping activity is on the rise among smartphone users

The survey shows that approximately 15% of respondents said that their mobile shopping had increased significantly. Of those interested in mobile commerce, security and poor user experiences were cited as major barriers that are prohibiting the further growth of e-commerce and mobile shopping. Notably, more than 90% of consumers noted that they made a purchase with their mobile device in the past 90 days. The vast majority of these consumers, approximately 73%, said that they made a mobile purchase in a physical store.

Many consumers use their devices to compare prices and research products they are interested in

Mobile Commerce in the USAWhen it comes to using a smartphone in a physical store, 54% of consumers used their devices to compare prices on products that they were interested in. Another 48% used their smartphones to look up product information, with 42% using their devices to check product reviews online. Notably, many people used their smartphones to look for special deals, such as coupons, and any loyalty programs that they could take advantage of.

Retailers have new opportunities to engage mobile consumers

Because of the large number of consumers that have begun to rely on their smartphones to shop, retailers have new opportunities waiting for them in terms of marketing. Loyalty programs are, perhaps, the most promising opportunities facing retailers. These programs provide consumers with rewards for their loyalty, and shoppers have shown particular interest in these programs as they can lead to money saving opportunities and access to special deals.

Facebook is testing new e-commerce feature

| July 22, 2015

Facebook is testing a feature that will allow retailers to sell products directly from the social media page

Facebook is once again trying its hand in the e-commerce space. The social network has beguns testing a new feature for small and medium-sized businesses, which will allow them to sell products directly through their Facebook pages. For some, this feature will simply direct to a retailer’s website, where products can be purchased as normal. Facebook has not released information concerning which retailers are testing the new feature, but the feature is expected to be quite attractive to mobile consumers.

Breaking into e-commerce may be a difficult task for Facebook

Facebook has taken a strong interest in mobile commerce, but has had trouble entering into this sector for some time. The company has been testing various features that would enable consumers to make purchases on the social network either through a mobile device or a conventional desktop. This social commerce, as it is called, is becoming a popular concept among consumers, as many people often use social networks to research products and look for special deals being offered by retailers.

Company’s past endeavors have not yielded positive results

e-commerce - FacebookWhile consumers are beginning to rely more on social networks to purchase and research products, there is no guarantee that social commerce will find the same success that mobile commerce has had. Consumers may also not be comfortable with shopping through Facebook. The social network had tried to break into the e-commerce space in 2009 through a partnership with 1-800-Flowers. Facebook users were not interested in purchasing products through the social network, however, as they did not see it as a merchant.

Facebook will face significant competition in the e-commerce field

As Facebook enters into the e-commerce space, it will be facing strong competition from other companies that have already found some success in this field. Twitter is one such company, and Pinterest is quickly becoming a significant force in the e-commerce space. Because consumers do not typically see social media companies as retailers, these companies entering into the e-commerce space may be more of a struggle than it has been for retailers.