Recent research by EpiServer has highlighted not only the rapid growth of the mobile web and mobile commerce, but how far brands are falling behind the mobile demands of their customers.
EpiServer’s research of over 1,000 UK consumers found that 59% owned a smartphone and 18% owned a tablet device (NB This seems high – Ofcom reported 2% penetation at end Q1 2011). 73% of the sample had accessed a mobile website and 33% had made a purchase using a mobile site. 2/3s had used a mobile app and just over 1/4 had used an app to make a purchase.
In contrast, in a parallel survey of marketers commissioned by EpiServer, only 20% reported their company had a mobile optimised website in place and only 18% had an app, with 26% expecting to launch a mobile site in 2012 and 10% to launch a new mobile app.
The problem for marketers is that customers are demanding high standards in these new channels – 64% would give a mobile website an average of 3 chances before moving on. Common problems reported were site speed, navigation problems, difficulties logging in and missing functionality.
The picture is further complicated for marketers given the increasing influence of the tablet computer in mobile commerce.
Research for Logan, Tod and Co found that tablets were almost as used as smartphones when it came to online purchases this Christmas. 14% of their sample had purchased using a tablet computer vs. 15% who had purchased using their smartphone (up from 7% in 2010) with tablet purchases expected to at least equal those undertaken on smartphones in 2o12.
And tablet owners browse in a more ‘laid back’ way then their task-oriented smartphone counterparts – rasing the spectre that marketers would be best advised to create not one mobile experience, but two.
So how should marketers, facing the ‘perfect storm’ of ever diversifying channels and shrinking or static budgets, react?
Firstly, they should try not to be galvanised into inappropriate reaction by headline stats.
The top line stats presented by EpiServer certainly show that mobile browsing is growing at a rapid pace but there’s little information on the scope of that browsing – for example, a high proportion of it will be people accessing their social networking profiles on Facebook or Twitter.
And impressive as the mobile commerce figures are, most of those purchases will be low value. People may be willing to purchase commodity items such as tickets and groceries on their mobiles, but whether they’re ready to buy premium fashion or holidays on them in significant volumes just yet is another question.
Marketers need to go back to their own web metrics to understand precisely how consumers on mobiles are using their sites and which devices they’re using. Only then can they ensure they invest in a solution which is going to deliver the most satisfaction for their customers and the best return for their marketing investment.
EpiServer summarised their key findings in an Infographic (see below).
