Eight tips for a better user experience in mobile commerce

MOBILE COMMERCE Shopping on smartphones and tablets is a trend. In 2016, a third of online retail sales will be generated on mobile devices. However, the user experience of apps and mobile sites still lags behind the shopping experience on desktops. Google presents eight tips for a better mobile user experience for online stores. 1. customer languageUnfamiliar terms make it difficult for the user to understand. Especially with call-to-actions, brand-specific wording can confuse the mobile shopper. Clear communication of functionalities and product features has priority over messaging.2. efficient search term indexingUsers are used to making their way to the product easier with searches. Store operators should therefore ensure that search results are meaningful. The user must be supported with auto-correction, auto-suggests or the recognition of synonyms.3. show what you haveFor each product, exactly the details that interest the customer should be shown. The focus should be on the product details that are relevant to the customer. Users should also be able to see exactly what interests them in the product photos. A continuous zoom function or, even better, a 360-degree view helps here.4. don't bang the door downSome mobile sites and apps ask for permission for notifications or camera access right at the start. At this moment, however, the user is not aware of the benefit of their consent: the store becomes a supplicant. It is better to ask for permission at the right and relevant moments. For example, if a product is currently out of stock or the user wants to create a profile picture of themselves.5. do not push the customer to checkout immediatelyIf a user places a product in the shopping cart, they should not be taken directly to the shopping cart. It is best to show the shopping cart in an overlay so that the mobile shopper can continue browsing. The shopper is then directed to the checkout if they are about to abandon the cart or are looking at their basket.6 Host manners are importantMany online stores require a login for every order. Users, on the other hand, only want to create a profile if they want to visit a store more frequently. Store operators should therefore always allow users to place orders as guests without having to register.7. offer help with formsFilling out forms on the move can be really inconvenient for the user. Three simple tricks can change this: The view of the form fields should be kept clear instead of hiding them behind the keyboard and the like. The current field should be in the center of the screen. And to increase efficiency, services such as car completion, assignment of zip code and city or credit card scan should be offered.8. have check-out discount codes readyRedeeming discounts should be as easy as possible. When checking out, users don't want to have to search for the promotion codes that may have brought them to the site in the first place. Discount codes should therefore be displayed automatically at the checkout.