How to optimise mobile shopping experience

With the rise of smart phone usage, it is more vital than ever before for businesses to not only have a professional looking, usable website that engages customers, but also to take mobile E-Commerce platforms into account. You may already have an E-Commerce design for your website, but with more and more people using their phones to purchase online, a mobile version of your shop is essential.

Launching an E-Commerce site for a mobile platform has to be specially designed and thought out, both to promote your company in the best possible light, as well as creating a shopping experience for users that is quick and easy.

So what are the best ways to optimise the shopping experience for mobile users?

1. Make the Checkout Process As Easy As Possible 

People generally use their mobiles to shop and surf the web because they either aren’t near or don’t have the time to sit down at a desktop or laptop. Therefore, they want to be able to find their desired product and buy it quickly and without fuss. Minimising the steps it takes to complete the buying process will increase your chance at a sale – simple payment options will help, and make sure you provide an option that supports mobile payment.

2. Drop Nonessential Elements

Enabling fast access is important on your website, but crucial on your mobile version so make sure you plan for this during mobile site development. Delete anything on your site that might slow down or hinder the user’s shopping experience. If they can’t find what they want in a couple of minutes they aren’t going to stay and keep trying. They’ll close the screen, and try one of your competitors. Make sure your most important features are clear for the user to find, and test the page load time to make sure they’re the fastest they could be. Avoid large graphics and elements that require plug-ins to work.

3. Ensure Clear Navigation                                                                                                                      

Providing an easy-to-navigate menu will encourage your visitors to look around your mobile shop. This must include a clear search function which is easy to find, and any buttons you use must be designed with quick and efficient navigation in mind. This can be achieved by paying special attention to their size, colour and placement on the page. Place all important information as well as home page buttons and back buttons in a place that can be clearly seen. Your customers need to be able to look at the screen and immediately find everything they need. In the same vein, make sure the text you use is easy to read – without the visitor having to zoom in. Break down your paragraphs into bullet points, get rid of any nonessential words, and ensure the colour of the text can be seen clearly against the background.

4. Get Traffic To Your Shop

If you’ve followed the above tips, your E-Commerce mobile site should encourage repeat visits and therefore repeat business, but first you need to attract your visitors. Make sure your website and any other promotional material you have points the way to your mobile shop; put the relevant information on any email marketing or direct mail that your company may frequently send out, and make use of QR codes and SMS calls to action. If your shop is quick and easy to use, visitors will more than likely spread the word through social media, so make sure you get the store right before sending it out there.

If you’d like to find out more about the possibilities of an E-Commerce shop for your website or mobile app feel free to get in touch with us.