Now that mobile smart phones have entered into the mainstream, and most e-store owners are reflexively checking their metrics for mobile trends, we need to look a bit deeper at how mobile users are shopping. Or rather, first, let’s look at how they’re using their smart phones to engage. Ironically, it’s not being used foremost as a phone, and in fact, many people don’t even receive personal phone calls anymore, unless it’s from their aging relatives who still wonder where the internet is. Well, it’s not just in the wires anymore, grandma, it’s in the air.
Mobile users carry their devices everywhere, and expect to use them whenever the impulse strikes, and that happens a lot. According to this Mashable article, Seven Surprising Facts About Mobile Shoppers by Jinal Shah, “most people look at their phone about 150 times a day, (that’s roughly once every 6.5 minutes), according to Qualcomm CEO, Paul Jacobs. Those glances are to check incoming e-mail and text messages, but mobile web browsing is exploding as well.” And people prefer to browse the internet from their mobile smartphones, even when their lap and desktops are within convenient reach!
But when it comes to mobile shopping, people aren’t using their smart phones to complete the purchase cycle (because of fears over security); it’s mainly being used for price comparison. And the article notes that mobile isn’t affecting shopping habits either. But one thing at a time; right now it’s enough that people are just feeling good using mobile devices (preference is for those with touch screens) for now.
And with that said, here are some things, according to the article, that need to be improved before mobile shoppers feel comfortable running all the bases: “Most mobile users were dissatisfied with the difficulty of navigating mobile shopping sites, lack of product information on those sites, and the need for better mobile shopping apps. It appears that one of the biggest consumer obstacles — perception of mobile web security — also needs to be addressed more fully before a broader swath of consumers feels comfortable entering credit card info via their smartphones.”
That’s where FastPivot’s mobile Yahoo! store development, design and consulting comes in. We offer merchants a safe, comprehensive, easy to use mobile store solution.
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