Customers now have access to almost every brand, product, and service at their fingertips.

And as technology gets better, more and more customers are turning to mobile to do their shopping.

For Shopify merchants, mobile commerce is even more important as 79% of all traffic to Shopify stores comes from a mobile device. That means every 4 out of 5 customers visiting your store will do it from mobile.

In this article, we’ll take a look at why mobile commerce has become so popular and how you can make your Shopify store more mobile-friendly.

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What is mobile commerce?

Sometimes called m-commerce, mobile commerce is any form of money transfer conducted on a mobile device, such as a phone or tablet.

It’s a subsection of e-commerce, which refers to any shopping conducted online.

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Types of mobile commerce

There are three main types of mobile commerce:

Mobile shopping: Any shopping conducted on a mobile device, such as through a mobile website or a mobile app.
Mobile banking: The same as online banking, but conducted on a mobile device. Mobile banking usually involves a mobile app and is occasionally restricted compared to online banking.
Mobile payments: The process of transferring money between a customer and business or from bank to bank. Again, this generally involves a mobile app, and the easier the mobile payments are to make, the more likely they are to be made.

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4 Benefits of mobile commerce

One of the most obvious reasons why mobile commerce is becoming so popular is due to the fact it offers a wide range of benefits.

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Improved customer experience

Mobile commerce is generally faster, smoother, and more convenient than other shopping channels.

53% of the global population own a smartphone, whereas the number of people who own a desktop computer or laptop is only 36%.

And as mobile phones can be carried everywhere, it means there are more opportunities for your customers to shop.

Not to mention, with location and activity tracking, customers are delivered a more personalised shopping experience - being shown products and services near to them or specific to their online usage.

However, not all mobile commerce experiences are created equal.

85% of customers prefer using a mobile app to a mobile website, so if you’re looking to improve your customer experience on mobile, you need to think app-first.

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Faster payment options

A seamless checkout experience is now expected for most customers, and mobile commerce offers a faster, simpler solution.

Apple Pay, PayPal One-Touch, Visa Checkout and Amazon Pay all make mobile checkouts straightforward, not requiring the user to input their bank details every time they shop. Plus, they offer a more secure way to pay with features such as face ID, finger print recognition, etc. Increased security is a key Shopify trend for 2024.

With a clunky checkout, customers are more likely to abandon their cart.

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Better product discovery

As customers carry a phone with them everywhere they go, there are more opportunities for them to browse and discover new products - especially on social media.

With Meta, TikTok, and Pinterest all adding the ability to shop within the app, it’s much easier for customers to find and try new brands. Once you find a post you’re interested in, the algorithms begin sending more and more similar content your way, flooding your homepage with product and brand recommendations.

Mobile commerce allows you to reach a much wider audience and convert them far faster than anywhere else.

Within minutes, a customer can discover a new brand on social media, browse their full product catalogue, and place an order for next-day delivery - all whilst on their commute, sitting in the gym, or watching the TV.

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Improved customer engagement and communication

Mobile push notifications are a game-changer for e-commerce brands.

They convert 15x better than email and have a 10x greater open rate - they even convert 9x better than SMS.

Mobile push notifications are the alerts you receive from apps when you’re not using them, prompting you to engage with their app.

Imagine being able to immediately alert all your customers to your latest sale, new product range, or exclusive offers directly through their mobile phone.

When you combine push notifications with SMS, social media, email, and ads, you’ve got the perfect concoction to drive more sales through your online store.

Plus, through in-app data, you can personalise your messaging, creating a more connected experience with your customers and increasing the likelihood they’ll convert.

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