hopping on mobile devices, which dominates online shopping, requires specific technology solutions. What are users looking out for and what investments in mobile solutions translate into better results? We invite you to read on.
It has happened! Shopping on mobile devices, or mobile commerce (m-commerce), has reached a breaking point. In 2022, for the first time in the Polish market, the smartphone has become the most popular device used for online shopping, overtaking computers.
The main advantage in favour of m-commerce is the complete freedom to choose where and when to make a purchase. Despite this, around 4 out of 10 respondents who say they shop using mobile devices say that they happen to start the purchase on their phone and complete the transaction on their computer ["E-commerce Report", Gemius 2022]. This means that there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to optimising mobile sales pages.
The challenge is slower loading web pages on mobile devices and the fact that these devices are mostly used by consumers with one hand in an environment that tends to be more distracting than the desktop environment. Smartphones, which consumers use to make mobile purchases, have on average a 6x smaller screen and 4x slower processor than desktops or laptops, forcing a different organisation of information than on desktop websites.
Mobile commerce in every age group
In 2022, Poles will use Google search 2.5 times more often on smartphones than on traditional computers. This trend is reflected in the structure of traffic on e-commerce websites. Google data shows that in some industries, the share of mobile internet users reaches as much as 80% [Google Poland Report, 2022].
While it has been known for years that the smartphone reigns supreme among the youngest group of online shoppers, mobile commerce now also prevails among older age groups. As many as 92 per cent of those under 24 and 88 per cent of those under 35 most often shop using a smartphone. In the age group up to 45, mobile commerce transactions are carried out by 74% of people. This is the same as using desktop computers ["E-commerce report", Gemius 2022].
The fastest growing m-commerce market is social commerce, i.e. shopping via social media. In the second half of 2022, 46% of Poles made purchases this way. The potential of social commerce for product distribution is already used by 65% of Polish companies [PayPal Ecommerce Index, 2022].
PWA - web applications increasingly popular in m-commerce
40% of shoppers for shopping purposes use mobile apps, i.e. software tailored for an IOS or Android device that needs to be installed on a smartphone or tablet. The three most common types of mobile apps installed by Poles are banking (74%), social media (72%) and shopping (69%) [ARC Market and Opinion & Mocca, 2022]. 35% of shoppers aged 24 and under consider the lack of a mobile app to be a significant problem ['E-commerce Report', Gemius 2022].
Mobile apps also have disadvantages. They take up device memory and also require installation, which lengthens the purchase path. ¾ of customers say that mobile shopping apps do not personalise the shopping experience [Merkle Report, 2021]. No more than 11% of users in the 24+ age groups use mobile apps [Spicy Mobile Report, 2022-2023]. An alternative to traditional mobile apps has emerged in recent years as so-called PWAs (Progressive Web Apps), which are web apps for mobile devices that offer similar usability to smartphone apps.
PWAs open correctly regardless of the system on which they are viewed and do not require installation on the phone, which is sometimes inconvenient for mobile app users. When a PWA-type page is accessed, the content of the app is saved in the device's memory. This makes it possible to load the page faster, to view at least some of the content offline and to use the device's functions, such as the camera for scanning codes.
In m-commerce, speed and flexibility count!
PWAs are the fastest-performing sites in the m-commerce market. They owe this to so-called headless technology, which allows them to meet the ever-increasing demands for speed in e-commerce, m-commerce, social commerce and responsiveness to changing consumer behaviour and expectations.
Headless is a software architecture in which the front-end, i.e. the user interface, is independent of the back-end, i.e. the data management system running on the server, whereas in traditional online shops the back-end and front-end are connected and function as one application. In headless commerce, modifications in one area, do not require rework in others, so the technology reduces the time needed for changes by up to 90%. 76% of entrepreneurs surveyed believe that headless commerce offers greater flexibility and the ability to tailor digital experiences to customers ['State of Commerce', Salesforce 2022].
By using appropriate programming languages dedicated to each device, headless commerce works consistently and independently of the device and application. Different apps, social channels and websites pull data from a single back-end system. 69% of businesses appreciate in headless the ability to add new sales channels such as social, voice, AR, VR. 57% of business leaders of all sizes say they plan to implement headless in the next 2 years ['State of Commerce', Salesforce 2022]. Headless technology is the foundation of the Composable Commerce approach, allowing sales applications to be built in a modular way.
UX optimisation in mobile commerce
The user experience (user experience, UX) of m-commerce requires a specific approach to capture the customer's attention and ensure his or her comfort throughout the shopping transaction, which often takes place in an environment that is not conducive to concentration, such as when travelling or on a break at work. Forms that are too long, lack of quick validation, and waiting for an email with an account registration code are the main obstacles to mobile-commerce transactions [Basket of the Year 2022, Twisto]. Cumbersome form filling is complained about by 34% of mobile commerce shoppers. 30% criticise the site's unsuitability for mobile shopping and 28% criticise the site loading too slowly. In the 50+ group, 32% complain about letters being too small ["E-commerce report", Gemius 2022].
The elements of good mobile UX are:
- a clearly designed shopping path,
- a search engine placed in a prominent position,
- drop-down menus (so-called hamburger menus),
- shorter texts,
- autocomplete forms,
- more images on product pages.
What does Google recommend regarding the UX of m-commerce?
According to Google's report [Google Poland Report, 2022], a key to improving the User Experience is the use of a 'Favourites' option that allows the user to remember a product without adding it to the basket. It would be worthwhile for this functionality to be available to non-logged-in users as well.
The quality of the shopping experience is also enhanced by placing the most important information and actions, such as the price and the add to cart button, in the visible part of the screen. For the category view, it is useful to show at least most of the first product on the list. In the case of forms, it is important to clearly mark errors with an icon near a misfilled field and a clear error message.
In the course of a single session, the user often repeatedly changes the selected parameters of the filters that allow him or her to search for a product in a given category, so according to Google's recommendation, it is worth ensuring that the status of the filters is visible without the need for additional interaction (e.g. opening the filter panel).
How to improve sales performance in mobile commerce?
Below, we have gathered data from the UX analysis during mobile shopping of the 100 largest and best-rated online shops in Poland. [Basket of the Year 2022, Twisto].
The check-list addresses the key elements of the entire shopping process - from the moment products are put in the basket, through registration and login, to payment. The more refined the design of the shopping basket and the more different payment options the shop offers, the greater the chance that the consumer will complete the purchase [Basket of the Year 2022, Twisto].
BLIK (53%) and quick transfer (44%) are the most frequently used payment types for online shopping. 10% of customers also regularly use deferred payments (Buy Now, Pay Later, BNPL) [ARC Market & Opinion & Mocca, 2022]. Compared to 2020, 2.5x more shops offer deferred payments. As many as 73% of the e-commerce stores surveyed offer at least one BNPL option [Basket of the Year 2022, Twisto].
M-commerce - a demanding market that pays off
58% of consumers find online shopping more attractive than brick-and-mortar shops (Chamber of the Electronic Economy, 2022).
The most frequently cited reasons are:
- more frequent and more attractive promotions,
- lower prices,
- easier comparison of prices and product features,
- greater choice of brands,
- a wider range.
The growing interest in e-commerce and the intensely developing m-commerce market offers new opportunities, but also challenges for companies. 73% of companies that implemented Google's recommendations saw an increase in the conversion rate of mobile commerce compared to a desktop online shop. In contrast, 54% of companies that did not implement the recommended changes saw a reduction in m-commerce conversions compared to an online shop for desktop devices [Google Poland Report, 2022].
When it comes to the mobile commerce user experience, consumer expectations are even more exacting than in traditional e-commerce. Implementing m-commerce requires a detailed analysis of customer needs and the design of an optimal and fast-acting purchase path. Following the needs of consumers has a significant impact on sales performance and it is up to entrepreneurs to take up this challenge and benefit from the innovations that the market offers.