According to a recent survey, Australians spent an estimated $41.3 billion online last year. 45% of respondents also reported that they purchased products via a smartphone or tablet on a monthly basis (source). While online shopping used to be considered a threat to our local retailers, we have certainly turned the table around. It is estimated that over three quarters of our online spend actually stays in Australia, with 34% of that being spent on the internet stores of the bricks-and-mortar retailers.This means that with a well thought strategy, all retailers can benefit from the online shopping boom that is taking over. With winter sales on their way, now is a good time to look at ways to make the most out of it.
1. A Speedy website is more important than an App
Australians are mobile shoppers, with 65% engaged in mobile “window browsing”, and 84% of smartphone shoppers turning to their mobile phone for help while they shop. Yet, only 29% of online purchases occur in an App. So as a retailer, your mobile presence is crucial, but not necessarily an app. In fact, it is far more important to have a fast and mobile friendly website. According to a recent research by Google, 53% of mobile site visitors leave a page that takes longer than 3 seconds to load. And as the page load time goes from 1 to 7 seconds, the bounce probability increases by 113%.If you are not sure about your current site speed, Test My Site can give you an indication on how mobile friendly your site is, and your page speed on mobile and desktop. Sometimes a dedicated mobile web app for your promotion might just be what you need. The advantage of that is it helps your customers to focus on the single message you want to deliver. Take a look at Esendex’s Mobile Journeys platform for some examples.
2. Embrace mobile marketing with SMS
According to the AIMIA Mobile Phone Lifestyle Index, 51% of Australians are happy to receive offers on their mobile from their preferred brands. So an SMS with a discount code or details of a new product range might just be the push your customer needs to visit your website or store..You can also combine SMS with email marketing to maximise open rates and coupon redemption.Simply send an SMS to your customers letting them know that you’ve delivered a special offer to their email, or include a link to the dedicated sales page so that the shopper can browse and shop at the time that is suitable to them.
3. Use a virtual mobile number to encourage 2-way communication
Make it easy for customers to join your subscription list by letting them opt in through a simple text message to your virtual mobile number. Or invite shoppers to text you to receive details of an exclusive mobile promotion.Put the virtual mobile number on your website and in store, use it to collect customer feedback to encourage better engagement. If you would like more information on mobile solutions for retail, please contact our team at [email protected].
Prachi Bametha
Marketing Coordinator, Esendex Australia