Partner Article

Why retailers' websites should be mobile

The Royal Quays’ Judith Ramshaw examines why retailers’ websites need to be mobile.

Online retail has revolutionised the sector and is very much here to stay. Instead of viewing online as a threat, I have seen first-hand how some retailers are choosing to use technology to improve sales and enhance the customer shopping experience both online and in-store.

While some consumers may decide to purchase directly from a website, many others use it for research and comparative testing, before then heading to a physical store to gather more information and make a purchase.

With the advent of ‘mobile browsing’, retailers have more opportunities than ever to improve the shopping experience and, in many instances, increase offline trade.

For years, website design has been focused on producing sites that are pretty ‘static’ through desktop PCs and laptops. However, with new technology at the forefront of everything we do, ‘mobile browsing’ is something many websites should offer.

Many retailers are choosing to produce mobile websites that are optimised for all smart phones, incorporating apps and a changeable web appearance, allowing retailers to reach out and communicate with their audience in a number of different ways.

Increasingly, consumers use their mobile phones to identify an item, to browse or to see if a particular product is available to buy in-store. Many of us still like to ‘feel’ a product before we buy, often to gauge quality and reinforce a buying decision, so if properly aligned the two channels can complement each other significantly.

Innovative operators are now taking this a step further by increasing interactivity in their physical stores and cross-selling these experiences online which can drive both sales and footfall.

When considering web development, it’s like everything else in life - that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly. If you walk past a shop that looks messy or badly decorated you may decide not to enter it. The same rules apply online. To grab a customer’s attention you need to present a good first image.

Website’s must be up-to-date and work across multiple platforms. There is a real need for retailers to work hard at streamlining activity, integrating with social media channels and so on.

In essence, innovation is key. Online should be viewed as a partnership that serves to enhance and inform shoppers about what your brand can offer. Retailers need to offer choice in order to reach customers via their preferred shopping routes to build loyalty and ultimately sales.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Royal Quays Outlet Centre .