The Rise and Rise of the Mobile Website

Smartphones and tablets have played an important part in purchasing decisions for a number of years but the way in which the devices are used is steadily changing. The role of the mobile device was at first mainly as a search tool to research purchases that would then be later made either in store or via a desktop computer. Figures show that mobile users are now becoming more confident about using their device to make a high-end purchase.

Between May and July of 2012, around 5.7million purchases were made online in the UK, around 50% of which cost between £21 and £100. 13% of these purchases cost in excess of £250, according to the figures published by mobile media agency MobiLens.

Oliver Ropars, the Senior Director of Mobile Commerce for leading auction site eBay, believes that retail is being completely revolutionised by m-commerce and that the way is being paved for a seamless user experience. Ropars said, "Consumers now carry a global store in their pocket and our research shows they check their mobiles around 40 times a day. That’s 40 opportunities for retailers to engage with potential customers, while the ability to shop on the move increases the likelihood to spend". Ropars also believes that mobile is the best medium for retailers to present innovative, interactive user shopping experiences using technologies such as augmented reality, location services and image and barcode recognition on their mobile e-commerce websites.

eBay is incredibly popular with mobile shoppers, 100million of which have downloaded the eBay mobile app. On average, one item is purchased every second from eBay using a mobile device and these transactions generated around $13bn in 2012. By 2015, this figure is predicted to grow to a massive $119bn by the end of 2015.

Providing customers with a shopping experience optimised for a mobile device is an essential part of modern business practice. Brickweb are expert providers of sleek, effective and contemporary mobile website design and mobile web development that will give customers the 'anytime, anywhere' experience that is rapidly becoming expected as standard.