If you’re in ecommerce, you’ve likely heard the phrase “mobile first.” People are increasingly accessing the web on their phones rather than their computers and tablets. It should come as no surprise that mobile sales accounted for 39.6% of all ecommerce purchases in 2018. This number is expected to grow to 53.9% in 2021.
We should expect this rapid growth to continue rising, especially as our mobile devices become more akin to a computer than an actual phone. People want ease, convenience, and speed when searching and shopping online. This is especially true for mobile. If consumers are buying products on their phones, they expect to be able to manage their shipping and returns on their phone as quickly and easily as they bought them. Here are a few tips for optimizing your shipping and support functions for mobile.
Mobile Shipping is the future of eCommerce
The first priority when creating your ecommerce site is to optimize everything for the mobile user experience. Checkout and shipping are no different. A simple mobile checkout page with transparent purchase and return policies is crucial. 27% of people abandon their shopping carts because the checkout process is too lengthy or complicated.
Simplify your checkout process to increase conversions
The simpler the checkout process is, the more likely people are to follow through on purchases. A good way to think of this is to focus on minimizing the amount of clicks customers need from the shopping cart to purchase. Have them enter in only the information you need and offer a “returning customer” option. This allows customers who have already purchased from you to purchase things in just a few clicks- without having to re-enter their shipping or payment information.
Avoid annoying banner ads and animations
A great example from MVMT shows a checkout page with simple steps, along with no distracting ads or suggestions in the header or footer. Keeping shipping costs low and return policies clear are important for customer retention. Return policies should be detailed and understandable to eliminate any confusion between you and your customer. Make sure these policies are explicit and visible on your site’s mobile version.
After the customer makes their purchase, they are ready to track their package. Giving your customers the ability to track their packages is essential for building a trusting and reliable relationship. A study by OSM Worldwide shows that 40% of customers track their package every day before it arrives.
This is a huge opportunity for customers to interact with your brand. On average, customers need five or seven interactions with your brand before they remember it. Your tracking page is an easy touchpoint for customers, and a place for you to keep your brand consistent and memorable.
There are shipping and logistics software that provide some of these capabilities so you don’t have to do the heavy lifting. ShipStation is one that provides companies a simple solution to set up a branded tracking page for desktop and mobile.
Provide mobile support for your customers
Customers will inevitably have questions about your product, service, or policies. Being readily available to answer their questions will help increase trust and loyalty in your brand. No matter what support system you use, see that it’s easy to access and navigate on mobile. Check out the ShipStation support page on your mobile device for an example of a mobile support page that is clear and easy to browse.
Further save your customers time by developing a thorough frequently asked questions (FAQ) page. Directly addressing your most common questions or concerns will be an appreciated convenience for customers, and may help empower them in their buying decision.
Follow-up with international customers
With the growth of ecommerce comes a growing international market. When optimizing your ecommerce site for mobile, consider your international audience as well. Maintain relevant language, grammar, and content for each of the countries you serve on your mobile versions. All features on your site should be available to international customers including support, checkout, and package tracking.
Include shipping rates for International shoppers
International rates should be updated for each country. Also be sure to make any specific international shipping and return policies clear and obvious. This will help eliminate any confusion about your company’s policies and expectations-- potentially saving you and your customer time, money, and stress.
In these mobile examples of international sites, branding is kept consistent while information is relevant and specific to the country of focus.
Optimizing your site means making it easier to use
Optimizing your site to be easy to use and responsive for mobile should be a priority for your ecommerce company. When it comes to shipping, clarity is key. Keep your shipping and returns policies visible and straightforward, eliminating any confusion or misunderstanding.
Do not neglect your international customer base-- they also prioritize sites that are simple to use. See that international sites have updated, relevant country content (language, shipping and return guidelines, shipping rates, etc.). Providing your customers a seamless mobile experience may be labor-intensive, but will pay off in establishing customer loyalty to your brand.
