Increasing Mobile Conversions

Nearly 2 billion people will make purchases from a mobile device in 2019, with about 95% of those conducting research from their device prior to completing a checkout. About $1 of every $4 generated in ecommerce comes from mobile, with annual spending exceeding $35 billion.

While mobile’s average conversion rate is just 0.55%, as compared to desktop’s 2.06%, average order value exceeds $100 across all devices (tablets and smartphones). Around 59% of smartphone and tablet users conduct research on their devices, with 59% of them planning to make the final purchase from the same device.

Interestingly, mobile users spend 59% of their time shopping versus closing the sale only 15% of the time, as compared to desktop users, who spend 41% of their time shopping versus closing the sale 85% of the time.

What explains the difference?

One likelihood is the nature of mobile use itself. It’s quick and convenient enough to browse an online retailer, but users may be in the middle of a workday, or some other distraction causes them to abandon their visit before completing a purchase.

Mobile shopping also has a limited amount of real estate (screen size) to work with, so it’s vital that the experience be as simple, yet detailed enough to not only pique interest, but encourage order submission.

Here are a few things mobile retailers can do, to increase conversions:

Personalize: This is the age of personalization.

Use data you have gleaned about the consumer to suggest items they are likely to be interested in purchasing. (Ex: Amazon recommendations)

Create a sense of urgency: If an item is on sale for a short period of time, a countdown clock can be very powerful

Reminding consumers of shipping deadlines is also effective, especially during the holiday season.

Make registration easy: Offer guest or social media-based log-ins.

The less information a shopper has to manually enter, the better. Also, if they do forget a required field, make sure they’re not forced to start from scratch to re-enter all the info again. Speaking of information…by enabling social media log-ins, you access a treasure chest of information that can help you with personalization for future visits.

No nasty surprises: One of the biggest causes for cart abandonment is the discovery of hidden charges such as postal fees and taxes. Such charges can make your deal seem like not much of a bargain.

A cart recovery message, however, can be a good opportunity to remind shoppers of any click-and-collect or alternative delivery options you offer.

Reassure: Before the buyer commits to the sale, there is usually a moment of hesitation. You can ease those fears by giving reassurance with a recovery message that points out your returns policy, any money-back guarantees you offer and if you ship for free.

Mobile will inevitably surpass desktop buying, but it’s imperative that retailers continuously find ways to optimize the experience. Not only for potential new customers, but especially, your most loyal customers.

Originally published at https://blog.sandboxcommerce.com.