Mobile e-Commerce – how user friendly is your site
The number of users surfing the internet through their mobile phone is increasing (http://news.bbc.co.uk and Australia Mobile Phone Lifestyle Index ). Users are no longer restricted to the realm of their PC for making purchases online. So what now? If you think your website is immune from the limitations of a mobile phone and that users can continue to make purchases through their phone as they did on their PC and share the same experience - think again!
There are many facets that should be considered to address usability concerns for mobile enabled websites. The more then obvious challenges are the smaller size of their screen, the smaller keyboards used to enter in credentials/information and how best to leverage your business brand and design elements carefully within the limited real-estate on a mobile phone.
One particular issue is that building a ‘mobile optimized site’ is of no use if users cannot find it and therefore continue to still access your non mobile optimized web site which they visit using their PC. You need them to be visiting your ‘mobile optimized site’ when accessing the internet through their mobile phone. A workaround for this is to detect when visitors are trying to view your site via their mobile. By detecting and automatically redirecting the user to your optimized site, you can ensure that the persona and corporate brand of your business is maintained whilst providing the user with an experience suitable within the current workings of mobile limitations as described above.
Taking the time to spec out the requirements of a mobile optimized site is essential for aiming to maintain the crucial functionality available online when using a PC. This is important in order to be able to successfully complete an online transaction using a mobile without adversely affecting the user’s experience.
(ref http://www.masternewmedia.org )
Other blogs you may be interested in:
- Why e-Commerce? http://wiliam.com.au/wiliam-blog/why-e-commerce
- iPhone Application Development Considerations: http://wiliam.com.au/wiliam-blog/iphone-application-development-considerations
- Social Media Marketing – out with the old, in with the new http://www.wiliam.com.au/wiliam-blog/social-media-marketing-new-old
