Mobile Commerce: To applicate or not to applicate

If getting a flashy website, engaging with social media and tackling consumer cut backs during the recession weren’t enough, the new hurdle for retailers to conquer is the elusive mobile application. As many retailers are still trying to get to grips with providing the same engaging shopping experience to their consumers online, via their website, as they do offline, those quick off the mark have already moved onto a new commerce platform in the guise of mobile.

Current Commerce Applications

There are currently two main genre of commerce application; the comparison app and the retail app. Comparison apps are hitting the headlines as retailers highlight their concerns about shoppers being able to find, compare and purchase a competitors product, at a cheaper price while still in their store. Although it’s understandable for retailers to be hesitant about this new freedom of comparison that consumers have there are many benefits to these applications. Primarily, they can actually increase footfall into stores either from consumers that have searched for coupons nearby or to retailers that offer the best deals and promotions on a product. They can also enhance the shopping experience and if retailers embrace the impact these applications are having on consumer shopping behaviour then they will reap the benefits in time.

From left to right: GROCERYIQ, RETREVOQ and SHOP SAVVY

In a bid to stay on par with consumer technology the second producer of applications is the retailers themselves. Applications range from simple representations of a catalogue to complex applications allowing uploads, virtual changing rooms and purchase. However, retailers move towards mobile commerce in still taking baby steps; many applications are only built for the iPhone and the shift of focus from a marketing tool to a sales tool is not fully complete. Nevertheless, it’s good to see retailers recognising the potential of mobile shopping, as a way to reach, engage with and inspire consumers to interact with their brand.

From left to right: NEXT, IKEA and OASIS

Potential for retailers

As demonstrated by the likes of Oasis, Ikea and Next, there are a multitude of ways in which a brand can utilise the power of mobile. There is certainly not a strict set of rules. However, there are a few guidelines that any digital agency would recommend their clients to follow:

1)    Integrate with existing channels

Ikea have got this down to a tee. They are keeping track of their rating on the Apple app store and following feedback that users have posted on Twitter and other social networks. Other ways to integrate your mobile app with your on and offline communications include offering discounts in store, giving users the option to reserve products or check availability at their local stores or providing an incentive to use the app while they’re in your store for extra information or to enhance the shopping experience.

2)    Be consistent

A mobile application is an extension of your brand communications and should be treated as such; maintaining a consistent image of the brand and its values is an important factor in building customer relationships. Obviously, the basics should remain consistent, such as brand colours, style, logo etc. But the concept, interaction and functionality of the app should also reflect the same brand values that are associated with your store, your employees and your customers.

3)    Be accessible

The iPhone may have started it, but Blackberry, Nokia and Google are maintaining and growing it. While iPhone penetration is currently the highest of the smart phones, as more consumers choose to upgrade their mobiles so more diverse selections will be made and by restricting your app to the Apple store you may alienate a large chunk of potential customers.

4)    Be relevant

The golden rule of all marketing communication is to be relevant to your target audience. Irrelevance is the shortcoming of many a mobile app, as brands rush to jump on the bandwagon without the necessary research, strategy and targeting. If you want your customers to engage with your brand via an application, and more importantly, use it more than once then relevance and useful functionality are imperative.

5)    Innovate ahead of the times

If you’re ahead of the times, and have cracked all of the above points then don’t forget to innovate with your application. As the mobile market begins to saturate, consumers will be flooded with apps vying for their attention. If you want to stand out from the crowd and increase your download frequency then your app needs to offer consumers something new, something different and something better than your competitors.

Many retailers made the mistake (and some are still making it!) of not jumping on the ecommerce bandwagon when it passed through; only time will tell if mobile commerce will take off as rapidly, but is that a risk you’re willing to take?