What is m-commerce? Pros and cons

Nowadays, we all carry a mobile phone with us. Mainly for social networks or to look for information about something we need. But increasingly, there are users who opt to make purchases from their phone. Broadly speaking, this is m commerce or mobile commerce.

That is, it is e-commerce from mobile devices: the sale and purchase of products or services through, not only a smartphone, but also from a tablet, for example.

It has been the logical evolution of the “usual” e-commerce, as mobile phones have developed an increasingly advanced technology that makes possible to do many more things. Among them, shopping from your mobile phone. Because many years ago, at most, they could send us an SMS or an email to our mobile phone to inform us about their new offers in the shop. But now, we can buy directly from our device.

In fact, there are two ways to do it. Let’s see below.

Ways to approach selling through mobile devices

1. Buying through an app
2. Buying on a responsive website

Both have their pros and cons. In the case of a responsive website, it doesn’t require a separate investment – since nowadays all websites have to be adapted to mobile devices. And this is a point in its favor. But it is true that if you want to provide a good mobile shopping experience, it’s usually best to develop an app for your ecommerce. Why?

• Mainly because an app is set up exclusively for mobile commerce. Its entire design is focused on it.
• It allows you to maintain a much closer immediacy with the customer, since having the mobile phone constantly on them, if for example you have to call her or him to inform them about something about their order, in principle you shouldn’t have problems to locate your customer.
• Apps also tend to have a very good loading speed, as they’re very simple. While a responsive website needs to be optimized in this regard.

What you also need to take into account is that the organic positioning of the website or ecommerce works in one way and the app in another. We’re talking about SEO and ASO respectively. So in that sense you must consider that it would be another investment. Although as a way to start working with your app, you can include the option to download it in your online store.

An example of m commerce is Amazon. Although you can buy from your mobile, if you have their app downloaded, the purchase process is much more comfortable and simplified.

As always, there are many factors to take into account when deciding. From the price of development (because there are several types of apps and not all demand the same budget), if it has potential in your industry, etc.. Because let’s remember that there are certain products or services that users look at first on mobile, but then buy on desktop.

And speaking of pros and cons, let’s see below the main advantages and disadvantages of m commerce, because like everything else, it also has its own.

Advantages of mobile commerce

• Reaches a larger number of customers. As I said at the beginning of this post, who doesn’t carry a mobile phone all day today? Even those who don’t have a computer.
• For this reason, m commerce allows our potential customer to make purchases no matter the time or place. I mean, if you want to buy food for your dog while waiting for dinner to be delivered in a restaurant, you can do it.
• We can’t forget another aspect of shopping from mobile devices: many times you don’t even need to access a website, you can buy through social networks. Which is a whole other topic.
• In the case of using an app, it may seem silly, but being innovative in your industry (after having weighed all options) and be seen as such, can be a good branding strategy, as you will draw attention and generate a perception of strength and security.
• If the app or the responsive website are well thought out, they will include various payment solutions – some that have been designed exclusively for the phone – such as Apple Pay, PayPal, Visa Checkout, Bizum… which will make the whole process more agile. Let’s not forget that this is one of the main objectives of m commerce.
• Unlike the computer, the mobile phone is of unipersonal use. So mobile commerce allows you to make a much better segmentation of your audience. Both the location from which your user buys and their age, sex and preferences.

Disadvantages of buying from mobile

• If you opt for a responsive website but it is not well optimized, be careful, because this can result in a slow loading speed. That is, in a bad customer experience, which might make them abandon the purchase.
• Continuing with the user experience on a responsive website, if you want the user buying without problems it’s essential to display a good font size so they can read the information properly, as well as making sure the catalog photos are clear and in good resolution. If not, they’ll end up going to the computer to finish the purchase. That is, if they remember to do so, or if they haven’t ended up buying somewhere else.
• Although less and less, there are still users who don’t feel safe shopping by mobile because they feel their data can be stolen or their cards used fraudulently.
• If you decide to develop an app, keep in mind that you have to adapt it to the different operating systems, mainly, at least, to iOS and Android.

Finally, I want to give you some recommendations when it comes to carrying out your mobile business strategy. Because as you have seen, especially after reading the advantages and disadvantages, there are several things to keep in mind.

How to develop an optimal m commerce strategy

As I was saying before, there are many things you have to take into account in e-commerce through mobile devices. And to make everything clearer, here are our 3 TOP tips that you should always keep in mind.

1. Create an app or personalized mobile version, very focused on the customer (with exclusive offers on mobile shopping, for example) And above all, take care of the product images, which must show all the details and relevant information in a comfortable way. Remember that the mobile screen is much smaller than that of a computer, or even a tablet.
2. Make the purchase process in a few steps. The mobile is immediacy, so don’t make them waste time. Also, make it very clear that it’s a secure process and offer different payment methods. You have to make it easy for them.
3. Take advantage of the fact that the user always has their mobile phone with them to create a proximity that will give them peace of mind and a very good impression. For example, for urgent shipment purchases, you can send them tracking messages in real time. Although in order not to be “annoying”, I recommend that you offer this as an option, so is the user themselves who decide whether they want to receive the messages or not. So that they don’t start receiving annoying messages which can have the opposite effect to a good experience.

So, do you think you’re getting the most out of your m commerce, or can you improve it? We’ll read you in the comments!

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