E-Commerce Takes A Turn Towards Mobile

Google’s face of E-Commerce, Stephanie Tilenius, has forecast that online consumers will inevitably want to access the web more often through handheld mobile devices over computers. Google’s announcement has arrived in a time where more and more mobile devices are being released in the Australian and International markets and are becoming closely tied to the web.

Google’s speculation is already being substantiated, and with the launch of Apple’s iPad into the Australian market last month, mobile search trends continue their growth and look to extend their hold in the not too distant future.

What does this mean for retailers?

Retailers online are being presented with a new challenge to cater to the demands of the consumer in a mobile market. This means optimisation for the mobile web.

Tilenius has stated on Google’s behalf that “we want to encourage you to create a seamless shopping experience, offline and online.” What this implies for retailers is that there should be an infusion of both marketing efforts in order to calibrate a universal buying experience that raises the convenience of both the business and the consumer.

Even if this means promoting offline transactions online, both sides of the equation should encourage selling – regardless.

What does this trend indicate about the future of e-commerce?

What we can see in this emerging trend is that e-commerce is shifting towards personalised and localised searches so consumers can gauge a complete snapshot of a product or service before committing to a transaction.

Retailers in Australia can get ahead of the game by adopting an online marketing strategy that balances what is required of their online and offline selling.

For the online side of things, generating leads and encouraging word of mouth through competitive pricing, brand transparency and good old fashioned customer service (via a digital medium, of course).

As for offline, brands need to be integrating their online marketing efforts to supplement their in-store selling by turning their online leads into a physical sale.