Mobile commerce (m-commerce) is an opportunity to win over customers who are increasingly connected. Smartphones are already the most popular devices for completing online transactions, outpacing tablets by 1 percentage point and desktops by 5 points.
In November 2015, the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) found that mobile users in Brazil exhibit multichannel shopping behavior. One of the most common actions was to research products and prices on mobile devices but complete the purchase on a desktop. This behavior was most common among older respondents, 39% of users between 45 and 55 years old. But even among those aged 14 to 24, 31% of consumers searched on their cell phones and went to a computer to click the buy button.
M-commerce also takes advantage of interactivity on social media to boost sales. In this format, it is possible to share your online shopping experiences with your friends, which amplifies brand influence and increases the chances of new sales. Sharing features in exchange for discounts are also an option.
Using a cell phone to compare prices in physical stores is also a common practice in Brazil. A smaller portion of respondents said that, due to ongoing concerns about e-commerce security, they researched online but ended up buying in physical stores.
Considering smartphones and tablets, e-commerce can be done in several ways: mobile sites, responsive sites, or apps. According to Bill Zielke, Senior Director of Merchant Services at PayPal, “Creating a mobile shopping experience is more art than science; layouts with large buttons, minimal text, scrolling, and a fast checkout are essential for conversion.” Data from a Criteo survey shows mobile transactions growing at a rapid pace, potentially surpassing desktop transactions soon.
Based on activity on the Criteo platform during the last quarter of 2015, Brazilian users are multi-device and are equally likely to complete an e-commerce order through any digital channel, whether desktop, mobile, or tablet.
For companies seeking a more complete experience, apps are the best option, as they offer the advantage of being developed for specific hardware and operating systems. .Mobile web, on the other hand, offers great flexibility and audience reach, with the advantage of being updated without the need for an app update.
The fact is that both options emerge as excellent alternatives for a new market reality; it remains to be seen who will come out ahead.
Useful links:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/252278
http://www.criteo.com/media/1894/criteo-state-of-mobile-commerce-q1-2015-ppt.pdf
http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Mobile-Edges-Desktop-Purchase-Completion-Brazil/1013479
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