Your eCommerce Site MUST Become Mobile
I recently read Measuring Mobile App Effectiveness, an article that discussed the future and sustainability of the mobile web and mobile applications. I’d like to focus on how companies can take advice from the article and create successful mobile applications. The article points out that the average consumer has seven mobile applications they use on a daily basis. On top of that, there is an ongoing debate on whether to communicate with a consumer through text messaging or through a branded application. What do you think?
After reading the article it seems as though apps have the edge over the standard text message. This could be because of the user engagement you can gain through an application over a text message. Most consumers are using their phones before their computers to find out quick information. Therefore, it seems almost obvious that the next step is to make your exisitng eCommerce site mobile-friendly as the article suggests. Now the question being addressed is no longer should companies mobilize their sites but….
Where do you being the mobilization?
When thinking about turning your eCommerce site to more mobile there are a few things to think about.
1.How can we provide and maintain a quality consumer experience?
2.How do we become one of seven daily apps?
3.How can we stay current with new features changing and being added daily?
4.What becomes mobile and what stays online?
5. How does our app become a need?
Let’s discuss… Let’s think…. Let’s learn!
If you want to become the mobile application that is used on a daily basis… question five is necessary to answer. People use apps that help them get through the day. The more helpful your app is for the end user…. the more successful it will ultimately become. In order to be a lucky top seven app then it must offer a feature that the consumer wants and more importantly needs.
Now let’s back up to the first question… how can you provide and maintain quality customer service? The easiest answer ( can be found in the article) is to generate strong content and to have a strong content management system… but I’m telling you something you already know. In order to have great customer experience (minus an app) you need a strong content management system.
The hardest part in developing mobile application is determining what content stays online and what content goes mobile?What are your long term goals? Are you hoping to have consumers engaged online as well? How will you separate the mobile experience to the online experience? I have a couple ideas but I’m more interested in knowing yours. So what do you think should stay online or mobile…or should there be a separation at all?
5 Reasons Why Retailers Should Add Ecommerce to Facebook
Shopping online just got a whole lot easier. This is for all the stay-at-home moms, lazy dads and impatient people. Okay… I’m kidding… except for online shopping really has gotten easier. We are all busy and retailers have noticed. According to DMNews companies such as Avon, 1-800-Flowers, Gaiam and Brooks Brothers have added e-commerce to their fan pages and member news feeds. Facebook once again proves its functionality. Retailers can sell directly on Facebook by adding a “Shop” tab to a Facebook fan page. Fans can browse products directly on Facebook. This makes total sense. Not only can consumers visit their favorite brands on their favorite social media site they can now easily purchase without ever leaving. People spend a ton of time on Facebook and online shopping is a must for some so this expansion was only a matter of time.
1. Engaging with customers. The more time a customer spends on the companies fan page the more loyal they’ll become. Loyalty spurs customer evanglists which spurs brand awareness then growth…..you get the point.
2.Keep it Simple Stupid. Retailers understand the value of keeping things easy, simple and quick. People will spend more money on your brand if its easy to get/use. Consumers are literally shopping within news feeds and they can shop on fan pages just as easily as if on the actual web site.
3. Privacy. Implementing e-commerce apps or “Shop” tab allows customers to buy directly without giving their private information away. These companies specifically mentioned work with a technologies service firm Alvenda, so customers can feel secure when purchasing that their information goes to the store not Facebook.
4. Give the customer what they want. For example, if you have an upcoming birthday you can shop on their fan pages and put things on a registry or wish lists that can be shared on Facebook. Now there is no excuse for your friend to say I didn’t know what to get you….
5. “Like”. The reality is that some people rarely venture off their own live news feed, which means they may or may find your brand’s fan page. Companies like Levis, who was one of the first to use “Social Plugins” tool lets customers create pages for products they “like”. If the consumer “likes” something it will pop up on their news feed as well as the brand’s site. It’s a win-win.
Essentially, shopping is a social experience. Why not take it to the ultimate social site? The major benefit here is the influence that sharing has on friends and networks. Consumers can shop while seeing what others like and what’s popular with who.
Pikaba Flips the Internet Buyer Model
(hat tip to Mashable for the post)
Mashable randomly has a post where they feature an Internet startup. Most of the time I breeze through the post without it catching my eye but Pikaba caused me to slow down.
20 word description from Mashable: Pikaba is a social shopping community offering a reverse auction model where merchants bid for your shopping needs.
Brilliant! Talk about permission marketing at its finest! Pikaba is following the model of Insurance shopping companies on the web where you enter in what you want to pay and the Insurance companies quotes to GAIN your business.
When you join the Pikaba community you can submit a request of an item you are searching for and just wait. This gives sellers the ability to produce a service or product direct to a buyer. If the user base is large enough on Pikaba, this should be a simple decisions for merchants and sellers. This simple decision will only be simple if the buyers make up a large portion of the website.
From Mashable:
Pikaba is hoping to benefit both buyers and sellers by providing a marketplace that is built around consumer needs for defining an actual point of demand. The ads placed by those requesting items to purchase are similar to a regular classifieds ad, with description and images, etc.
I will be keeping my eye on Pikaba. It looks like a great example of social ingenuity at work!