Retailers must optimise websites for mobile users

Research from Sponge has suggested that two-thirds of retailers have not yet optimised their websites for mobile, despite seeing increased sales, higher customer engagement and reduced service costs.

Of those that had dedicated mobile sites, 39 per cent of retailers cited benefits as 'sales from a new channel'.

Two-thirds said their mobile sites enabled them to receive positive feedback from customers able to interact with their brand wherever they were.

Twenty-eight per cent had reduced the need for support or call centre staff.

When asked how they used their mobile sites, 48 per cent allowed customers to make transactions, while 40 per cent displayed products.

Fifty-two per cent used mobile sites to support brand and customer communications programmes, and 28 per cent used them for customer services purposes.

Eighty-three per cent claimed results met or exceeded expectations.

Almost a quarter of those who had not optimised their websites for the mobile internet said they were considering doing so within the next six months.

However, a further 16 per cent said no, citing reasons including cost and evidence of return.

Forty per cent of the 136 retailers surveyed by Sponge during June and July had not used mobile in any way.

However, 63 per cent of these said they were considering using it within the next 12 months.

Of those that had used mobile in some form, the majority mainly did so to contact customers with text messages to inform of delivery times, stock alerts and special offers (57 per cent).

Mobile was seen as important or essential for communicating with customers by two-thirds of the total sample, while 69 per cent felt the same way about using mobile to extend their brand or marketing activity.

When asked what part mobile will play in retail in a year's time, 38 per cent of the overall sample stated that mobile would be integral to the online retail purchase, with 68 per cent saying that most retailers will adopt at least one use of mobile.

Alex Meisl, co-founder and chairman of Sponge, said: 'Retailers clearly understand the potential of the channel, but a significant number are not exploiting it in any joined-up fashion.

'Although many brands are seeing benefits, such as through the interactive capabilities of an app or mobile internet site, a wider mobile strategy could bring huge benefits, helping to streamline the retailer's business and provide a better customer experience,' he added.

The survey revealed that almost a third of retailers have built a mobile app.

The main reason was for use as a branding tool (55 per cent), offering consumers something useful or providing a source of entertainment.

Fifty per cent of apps offered customers transactional capabilities, while 42 per cent were focused around community building.

Just over a fifth of retailers had built an app because they didn't want to get left behind by competitors; a further fifth felt launching an app gave them the opportunity to be the first to do so in their sector.

Of those who do not have an app (68 per cent), almost all (88 per cent) are considering building one within the next 24 months.

Sponge's survey also looked at retailers' use of mobile in marketing and advertising campaigns.

Thirty-five per cent said they had used mobile as a direct response channel for their traditional marketing campaigns, for example, an SMS shortcode on print adverts or television commercials.

Fifty per cent of these had used it on print promotions, with a further 50 per cent using mobile in point-of-sale and in-store activity.

A third of multichannel retailers questioned had used mobile coupons, discounts and offers to drive store footfall, while a quarter of pure-play online retailers had done the same to driver people to their websites.

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