The U.S. e-commerce market is on pace for another record-setting holiday season. Research firm eMarketer predicts digital purchases during November and December will increase 17.2 percent to $94.71 billion, accounting for 10.7 percent of all sales. For purchases both online and offline, the National Retail Federation forecasts sales rising 3.6 percent to $655.8 billion over the same time span.
This growth in digital commerce means retailers need to improve, refine and future-proof their digital infrastructure. Robust mobile applications, simple search tools and a wealth of purchase and delivery options mark the continued turn toward consumer-friendly technologies that can result in increased sales.
Retailers looking to shift their e-commerce platform to be more modern should focus their initiative in these four areas:
Mobile-first approach
Mobile is the most prominent e-commerce channel, accounting for 45.1 percent of digital purchases during the first quarter of 2016, according to Bloomberg. It’s the first time mobile has beaten desktop (45 percent) in the digital shopping arena. In another first, mobile purchases during Black Friday surpassed $1 billion.
But the battle between mobile and desktop sales is a false dichotomy. In fact, roughly 40 percent of transactions occurred across multiple devices or channels during last Q4, according to a study by marketing firm Criteo. This suggests consumers are more willing to look for the best deal for them, regardless of whether it takes place on the phone, in the store or at home. With mobile, shoppers can afford to research and wait.
A mobile-first platform can help retailers adapt to the consumer decision-making process.
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