August 12, 2020

In recent years, it became impossible to ignore the rising power of online and mobile commerce. According to Business Insider, we can expect to see this trend continue to grow in the near future, as more companies embrace the advanced technological features offered by these platforms. 

And yet, many businesses still struggle with the transition to e-commerce and m-commerce. According to a report published in 2019 by Deutsche Bank Securities, even though it is the largest retail category, grocery shopping is underrepresented online with only 3% of sales in the US, and similar numbers across EMEA and LATAM

Even companies that already have an active online presence might need to update their website and app. Many offer a subpar mobile experience to users that merely duplicates other channels and ends up costing them customers rather than boosting sales. One reason for that is because major brands and retailers are rightfully careful to protect their brand and make sure that the purchasing experience is unified and works seamlessly across all platforms. They want to get it right so much that they end up getting stuck. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, online became the only available channel for many companies and retailers, while those who were unprepared needed (or still need) a fast, yet high-quality solution.

“Now more than ever, brands and retailers have the motivation to finally go D2C and provide customers with the mobile experience they expect.”

Here are a few important tips for businesses looking to get m-commerce right, immediately: 

1. Don’t invent the wheel. You don’t have to build everything from scratch. In fact, you really shouldn’t. Work with experts who understand both technology and retail in your specific area. shelfy.io, for example, is focused mainly on grocery and drugstore shopping. 
2. Opt for quick integration. Choose platforms that work with your existing on-premise platforms as well as on the cloud and offer APIs and immediate integration. This will speed up the process and make it as painless as possible. 
3. Protect your brand. Work with white-label solutions that will allow you to control the look and feel of the app, to make sure that customers recognize your trusted brand. 
4. Use modular and future-ready solutions. Mobile isnot a one-size fits all platform, and you must cater to your audience’s needs. Make sure that the solution you choose is adaptable and continues to evolve and offer new features over time. 
5. Don’t rely on 3rd party apps. If you’re a retailer working with 3rd parties (for delivery purposes or other reasons) who have an app, you still need one of your own so that customers will remain loyal to you personally. 
6. Reward loyalty. Think about retention and appreciate loyal customers by offering notification updates and promotions on your app. Personalized content is even better for letting loyal customers know you care. 
7. Invest in content. Use shoppable videos that enable users to view branded content and immediately add products to their cart. Actionable creative content can increase engagement and create a stronger bond with customers. 
8. Make it personal. Personalize the content you present shoppers with in order to keep your offers as relevant as possible and let customers know you care. 

As a company focused on the intersection of retail and mobile, shelfy.io understands the need for immediate solutions and offers a 2-week deployment process that will get businesses going on any cloud or retailer premise, with zero IT disruptions and using a white-label branding solution.