Mobile Commerce Insights for Retailers An exploration of the mobile revolution and its implications on the retail industry. This research paper has a special focus on the mobile app versus mobile web debate, including the emergence of progressive web apps.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1:

It’s a mobile world

2:

Mobile app versus mobile web

3

What’s next for mobile commerce?............................................................................... 5 How have retailers reacted? …..................................................................................... 6

7

Benefits to mobile web................................................................................................... 8 Push notifications….............…....................................................................................... 8 Loyalty……...................................................................................... .............................. 10 UX/UI…........................................................................................... ............................... 10 Payment..........................................................................................................................11 Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 13

3:

How to create an effective mCommerce site

4:

Progressive Web Apps

5:

References

14

Have a truly mobile-first web design…...........................................................................15 Be user-focused….......................................................................................................... 16 Ensure elegant simplicity…............................................................................................ 17 Understand contextual relevance and intention…......................................................... 18 Reduce friction…............................................................................................................ 19 Anticipate customer concerns…..................................................................................... 20 Have a strong brand and identity…................................................................................ 21 Express your real-world expertise online….................................................................... 22 Multi-channel consistency…........................................................................................... 23 Cross-platform conversion….......................................................................................... 24 Usability and mobile-friendliness…................................................................................ 26 Performance…................................................................................................................ 27 Conclusion….................................................................................................................. 28

29

What are PWAs?............................................................................................................ 30 How do they work?..........................................................................................................31 Advantages…………………………………………………………………………………… 32 Disadvantages………………………………………………………………………………...33 Summary ….....................................................................................................................34

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1

It’s a mobile world. Consumer behaviours towards purchasing have changed. A decade ago, the idea of online purchases coming predominantly through mobile would have probably been met with scepticism, but the reality is that mobile is continuing to dominate – with some even going as far as to say that the future of eCommerce lies solely in mobile. Indeed, just six years ago things were very different. A study by the Mobile Marketing Association in May 2010 revealed that during that year only 6% of consumers purchased products or services via mobile, and only 6.5% of retailers offered mCommerce sites. However, when we fast forward to September 2016, retailers are seeing up to 50% of sales coming through mobile – a significant increase, and one which is continuing to rise. This 50% currently only applies to the top 25% of retailers, but even when we look at overall figures there is still continuous growth YoY.

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This is presented on the graph below, with data from eMarketer showing mobile sales in the U.S. Interestingly, the U.S. are lagging behind in their mobile share. This year, they have seen 33% of eCommerce transactions come through mobile, whereas Japan, the U.K., South Korea and Australia are closer to (or have exceeded) a share of 50%. However, regardless of the speed at which it happens, there is an undeniable, growing dominance of mobile.

This can be accredited to the overall rise in the popularity of handheld devices. According to Flurry, consumers are now spending an average of 3 hours 40 minutes per day on their mobiles – a 35% increase on the previous year. In addition, 80% of internet users own a smartphone, and these figures are continuing to rise.

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What’s next for mobile commerce? We can see how things have changed, but it’s important to also consider what the future has in store for us. Criteo analyse billions of online transactions and produce a report every quarter. Their most recent report (H1 2016) provides valuable insights into the future direction of mobile commerce, and the highlights are summarised below.

The leading 25% of mobile retailers saw a massive 50% of their sales come through mobile, with Criteo claiming: “There is no going back.”

Fashion brands have extended their lead over other sub categories, continuing to sell the most via mobile and growing 17% YoY.

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Criteo confirm the efficiency of apps, reporting that they are driving a larger proportion of shoppers down the purchase funnel and are converting at three times the rate of mobile web.

Tablets are fading. Reports show that shipments have dropped by 15% in the past year, which is something for retailers to consider for the future

How have retailers reacted? The mobile revolution has led to a level of uncertainty around the best way to approach a hand-held future. For businesses, this involves big changes and decisions. Many brands are still asking themselves whether they need a mobile responsive site or a mobile app, but the first action for businesses should be to understand both and establish what is best for them on an individual basis. …......................... 6

2

Mobile app versus mobile web A common assumption is that an app is simply a more expensive version of a mobile responsive site, and that they both do more or less the same thing. The reality is that they both serve completely different purposes; mobile web is essential for any retailer not wanting to get left behind, whereas mobile apps offer benefits that can have a real impact for a brand’s most loyal customers. So the question becomes a matter of how the two can complement one another, rather than a debate around which one is better.

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So what are the benefits to mobile web?

Based on this, it is fair to say that mobile web is a staple for any business that does not want to get left behind in this fast-paced digital age.

However, in terms of sales, research shows that apps convert up to four times more; this is because they are tailored towards engagement, personalisation and retention of loyal customers. As Denison says:

Firstly, a basic responsive site is typically less expensive than an app to build, and has little to no run cost above what is already being spent to maintain a desktop site. It can also at times look quite similar to an app. Users are not required to download it, and it does not take up any memory. In addition, due to Google’s new algorithm, having a mobile responsive site boosts SEO results, and can also improve bounce rates.

“Building a strong mobile optimised site is where money should be invested first, but after this, apps should be ignored at a retailers’ peril.”

Dr Tim Denison, director of retail intelligence at Ipsos Retail Performance, says:

The following section explores the features of apps and how they can achieve these impressive levels of conversion.

Push notifications can increase sales by 180%

“Mobile websites equip retailers with brand presence, delivering up to date content that can be found and shared quickly and easily.”

Perhaps the main reason for having a decent responsive site is, as Venture Beat say “driven by discovery”; consumers often want to research products, read reviews, etc. 60% of consumers now use mobile web to search for information, and this number is growing. Not having it available could annoy consumers or force them to go to competitor sites, as it has become an expectation to be able to find out almost anything, almost anywhere.

Push notifications are an invaluable feature within an app. They provide brands with a way to personalise interactions and engage with users on a more frequent basis, which can have a huge impact on sales. An app is always live on a users’ phone, and notifications help to utilise this by driving people on to it. …......................... 8

A product recommendation tool based on individual likes and dislikes can be implemented in an app fairly easily with the right technology, and is a proven method of driving sales. Amazon developed their recommendation feature to great success, and revealed that it is now accountable for 35% of sales - an absolutely astounding statistic that further reinforces the necessity of personalisation.

Through the data gathered by an app, retailers can identify customer segments (for example, customers who regularly buy shoes, or items within a particular collection). As well as this being hugely useful for understanding the customer base, apps allow retailers to be proactive with this data and send push notifications that correspond with customers’ preferences, and this is what really drives sales.

Netmera report a massive 180% sales increase after implementation of personalisation.

Not only can notifications be sent according to preference, they can also pushed based on location. Letting customers know about offers in a nearby store, for example, adds value to both parties; retailer and customer, and highlights the potential of just how efficient and valuable notifications can be. Using an app to drive in-store sales is a great way to bridge the channel gap – something that has been described as the biggest challenge for retailers at the moment.

Personalisation in marketing is a proven method of success. MyBuys found that personalisation increases sales by 25% and the customer lifetime value by 300% - and push notifications are just the start, with plenty of in-app opportunities too.

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An app gets loyal customers to spend more Where the mobile web will suit first time users and site-hoppers, an app is perfect for loyal customers. This group are most likely to use the app, and will spend the most. This is beneficial to retailers, as explained by Tom Singh, founder of New Look:

Both of which are proven ways to grow revenue.

An app’s UX/UI is superior.

“The easiest way to grow incremental revenue in a retail business is to get your most loyal customers to spend more”

Apps outshine mobile web with their UX and UI. Users get a faster, smoother, simpler and more convenient experience, as well as being able to access content offline.

This has been supported by Criteo, who say that users with 4+ purchases account for 22% of revenue, even though they make up less than 3% of the average site’s users.

In addition, an app enables content to be more visible and digestible for users, which is particularly important for selling products. Customers are put off when they have to scroll and zoom, or cannot see the product details clearly.

An app also holds extremely valuable real estate on every user’s device; people check their phone 150 times a day on average, which means the logo icon is seen constantly – comparable to walking past a store front multiple times a day. This frequent advertisement is a great way to ensure maintained loyalty as the app becomes the go-to place. This benefit also applies to less regular customers; once they have been incentivised to download the app it is a great opportunity to convert them into a loyal customer by using personalisation features such as push notifications.

To summarise, an app is perfectly placed to deliver the following two goals: • Encourage loyal customers to spend more • Grow the number of loyal customers

The reason the user experience of an app is superior to mobile web is because a native app is built in the phone’s own programming language, rather than the language of websites. This means that the app can take better advantage of the phone’s computing power, allowing for custom, performant and unique user interfaces. …......................... 10

Consumers prefer paying via an app. A study by Coupofy identified reasons why people prefer using an app, and one of the key themes that emerged was the payment process. Users stated that payment via an app is faster, easier, convenient and innovative, mentioning that an app stores details so there is no need to keep re-entering them. When it comes to payment processes, users can pay for products at the mere touch of a button. With pre-saved details, there is no need to enter payment and shipping information, and apps can also incorporate payment technologies such as Apple Pay. All of these factors drive impulse buys, because the purchase is hassle free and instant, as well as the fact that there is no physical parting of cash.

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Top 10 reasons WHY US ERS PREFER US ING AN APP

1 2 3 4

5

“It’s a convenient way to pay” “It’s a fast way to pay” “It’s easier than paying by cash/card” “I do not need to carry or pull out a physical wallet when my details are stored” “I can instantly receive confirmation of payment”

6 7 8 9 10

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“It simplifies the payment process” “It’s an innovative way to pay”

“I can be reminded of the option to apply offers/discounts/coupons” “It can keep track of digital receipts for returns exchanges” “I can pay without sharing my financial details with the merchant”

Mobile app versus mobile web: the concluding thoughts 1:

The key thing is to keep up to date with the ever advancing world of mobile. For retailers, this means actively researching mobile commerce options and ensuring that channels are consistent. Apps will inevitably evolve further, as will in-store technologies.

2:

Every business needs a good mobile website regardless, but there may be a great opportunity to enhance this with a mobile app too.

3:

An app brings a huge number of features that are much more tailored to conversion and retention. As Denison says, they “capitalise on a shopper’s desire for a personalised service and provide a vehicle to boost engagement.”

4:

For businesses with lots of mobile web traffic, a loyal customer base or room for improvement in conversion: an app could be the answer.

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3

How to create An effective mCommerce site Having covered the rise of mobile commerce and the mobile app versus web debate, the next step is about taking action. This section describes how to create an effective mCommerce site. A recent report by ClickZ presents ‘The 12 pillars of mobile commerce design’, which are used as the framework and basis for each point of advice.

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1: Have a truly mobile-first web design

An example of a brand who do this very well is Topshop. They have created a stylish, mobile-first site and incorporated social engagement for their target audience. They encourage consumers to upload photos of themselves wearing Topshop clothes, using the hashtag ‘#TopshopStyle’. The photo button is at the bottom of the screen by the thumb, and photos can be uploaded straight from the phone’s library.

To fully adapt to the mobile-first world, websites should be designed and developed for the mobile device primarily, to then be altered accordingly for PC and tablet. Adaptations should take into account: • Different screen sizes • Connections (On mobile, users may have less or limited connection, so the size of pages and therefore load time is important.) • Variation of user behaviours across devices (One example is the placement of buttons – on mobile they should be at the bottom to accommodate navigation with thumbs.) ClickZ state that “mobile-first design demands starting with a clean sheet and developing an m-commerce platform that is dedicated to serving the target mobile user and fulfilling their needs.” Although this may be a significant change, there are clear benefits to both retailer and customer, plus it reduces the risk of being left behind or suffering in areas like SEO. Google are heavily favouring mobile-friendly sites and those who do not adapt could see search rankings fall. Hubspot say: “Google will only continue to raise the bar for what it considers to be mobile friendly.” …......................... 15

2: Be user-focused It is crucial to understand the experience that users want when shopping on mobile.

Even though it is probably the same people using the mobile site who use the desktop, it is unwise to assume that their wants and needs are the same across both channels. Some may want their mobile shop to be leisurely and content heavy, whereas others will want it to be fast and obstacle free. Establishing this involves gathering feedback, frequent testing, monitoring behaviour and market research. In addition, it is important that retailers understand what the overall mobile demand is amongst their specific users. For example, a retailer with millennial consumers has a great opportunity to thrive with an app, whereas others may need to assess their mobile traffic and do more research before making the investment. This is not about the size of the retailer, however. Some assume that apps are only viable and successful for big retailers but this is not the case: Imprint are a men’s lifestyle retailer and publisher who target men aged 26-34. They launched in 2013, and quickly noticed a lot of traffic on their mobile site. They decided to take action and launched their app in April 2016. In the first month, they saw a massive 79% of transactions come through the app. 65,000 downloads later, founder, Matt Alexander, said that the app has helped increase sales five-fold and they have continued to grow. …......................... 16

3: Ensure elegant simplicity Mobile commerce sites can be elegant, smooth and multi-functional, so understandably it can be tempting to create something big and complex. However, in order to be effective, sites should focus primarily on simplicity. Ensure that the main user tasks are as simple as possible – particularly the checkout process. Customers do not respond well to complicated or frustrating experiences, and these could cause them to exit the site. As ClickZ say, “nobody wants a bloated jack-of-all-trades that does lots of things badly.”

In fact, research shows that “usability is the key for the success of mobile apps”. (UsabilityGeek) For a useful step-by-step guide to usability testing, click here

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4: Understand contextual relevance and intention

After this, it’s about establishing the users’ intention: does the user want a leisurely browse or a quick look? A price check or an instant purchase? All of these things are key insights to the retailer, and the more the retailer knows, ”the better they are able to offer the most relevant content, offers and services to meet their goals.” (ClickZ)

Mobile devices can now track a long list of things that a lot of people are not even aware of. This ranges from tracking location (GPS), to movement (accelerometer), health, and even environmental conditions such as temperature, light and pressure. Techradar say: “Right now there’s a good chance your phone is tracking your location, keeping tabs on your steps and recording any voice searches you make. And that’s just the beginning.” The relevance here is to highlight just how much data can be collected on mobiles, which can be very valuable for engaging with customers via apps. Movement tracking is used in fitness and sleep apps, and location tracking is becoming fairly common, but apart from this, “few sites do anything meaningful with contextual information” (DeviceAtlas). So how can this be valuable within retail?

If retailers know when a customer is walking past one of their stores, for example, they might send an enticing push notification. However, if the retailer knows the customer is driving, they might not send a notification because of the likelihood of it being missed.

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5: Reduce friction As previously mentioned, users are not hugely forgiving when it comes to bad or frustrating user experiences. In mobile it can be even more of a challenge to get this right, due to the smaller screen size and overall differences compared to desktop.

According to ClickZ, typical friction points are payment and delivery options, product search, and filling in details, so the goal should be making these processes as smooth as possible. Indeed, 68% of baskets are abandoned at checkout, and although lots of people do not actually intend to buy at that time, statistics still show a 20% abandonment purely due to poor user experience and requiring too much time. In their white paper, Amazon support this notion, reporting: “Research among 3,000 consumers in the UK and Germany showed that speed was important to shoppers during navigation and payment.” Based on this, reducing friction should certainly be an important part of any retailers’ mobile-first strategy.

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6: Anticipate customer concerns Understanding customer concerns is hugely important. In a study published by iab, the top reason for not using mobile commerce was revealed to be lack of trust. This will inevitably lessen over time, but retailers should be aware that some consumers are (at least initially) wary. As well as this, it is worth considering the inconvenience and tedium involved with any kind of form-filling, and how this can affect the overall shopping experience. Knowing this, the process needs to be as easy and smooth as possible. ClickZ say:

“This is done by minimizing what is required of the customer, while justifying what is necessary. Get it right and you stand to win a loyal customer, get it wrong and you could lose the sale and the customer.”

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7: Have a strong brand and identity The power of brand can be huge; it can reinforce trust, loyalty and – ultimately – increase sales. It is therefore key to ensure brand consistency across platforms, so that users know what to expect and will be more likely to shop without hesitation, even if it is their first time using a new app, for example. Furthermore, branding is an opportunity to differentiate. In the digital space, retailers can create a unique identity, and compete on aspects like service. A strong brand and a strong digital presence is certainly heading in the direction of success.

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8: Express your realworld expertise online Generally speaking, customers like personality and valuable content. Adding a section in an eCommerce site that offers expertise or shares the company’s favourite products is a great way to differentiate and add value. In mobile, this could be a blog within an app, or a section with trends. It is certainly worth trying – especially if your customers are leisurely browsers. As well as this, personalised features such as recommendations or personal shopper options are a great way to build credibility, loyalty and engagement with customers. On the right are two examples of this in action from ASOS and Topshop. Topshop are offering customers the opportunity to ‘get insider knowledge’, by showing behind-the-scenes events and encouraging users to ‘get inspired by the latest shoots’. ASOS are using a personalised recommendation feature for users of their app.

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9: Multi-channel consistency Customers regularly flit between channels and expect complete technological consistency. They want to see the same products, the same prices, the same collections, the same service and – as mentioned previously – a consistent brand. Synchronisation of a website product catalogue with mobile can in fact require a fair amount of back-end integration, but this is a necessary part of the journey to mobile first, and unfortunately unavoidable. Burberry is a great example of how to do this well. Now one of the undeniable leaders of digital, in 2006 Burberry committed to a goal to become ‘the first fully digital luxury company’. An article by Digiday states: “On digital channels, Burberry’s goal is to be consistent. Shoppers can now buy online and pick up in-store, and access a unified shopping cart on mobile and desktop.” As a result of this, they have earned themselves credibility as one of the top players across industries.

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10: Cross-platform conversion As well as consistency with technology, it is also important to offer a seamless user experience for those jumping from channel to channel. Today’s consumers have been described as ‘channel agnostic’; they are increasingly likely to visit multiple channels during their path to purchase, with statistics revealing that 80% of in-store purchases are influenced by digital, and that nearly four in ten transactions occurred across multiple devices. If retailers can ensure a completely smooth transition between channels; this will help to create a positive experience as well as encourage purchasing. This is because the customer has increased control and accessibility without obstructions and friction. However, this goal has presented a challenge for some brands. As Galia Reichenstein of Adotas says (of retailers), “The biggest challenge is cross channel attribution. We’re able to connect the dots, to a point. But true cross channel attribution means being able to connect the dots in a systematic way.” She also explains that mobile is an extension of everything – outdoor, instore, online, etc; highlighting that mobile is indeed the key to tying everything together. …......................... 24

ClickZ offers advice, saying:

“Retailers need to stop trying to account for each channel separately and instead look to support the user as they move between channels.” Again, lessons can be learnt from Burberry here. They have ensured a seamless flow between channels, adding in social engagement on the way. Digiday summarise their strategy in the quote below:

“Their digital way of thinking means treating customers the same way no matter whether they are online, in-store or on mobile.”

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11: Usability and mobile-friendliness We reach the overall considerations here, which are ultimately – can the user navigate easily and complete the tasks they desire without issues? It is important to take a step back and test, test, test. Ensure you use people who have never seen the site before and get accurate first impressions. After this, continue to test and continue to look at user journeys. Data is the key to understanding the customer, adapting and driving sales.

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12: Performance Finally, retailers need to ensure that load time is as good as it can be. As well as being a positive to the customer experience, it has been shown to improve conversion rates. Furthermore, Google is noticeably invested in mobile load time, and it is set to become a factor in their next mobile update. For assistance, they have created the AMP project: Accelerated Mobile Pages. This is an ‘open source initiative that embodies the vision that publishers can create mobile optimised content once and have it load instantly, everywhere.’ ClickZ also highlight the importance of performance, saying:

“The size of mobile pages and the speed at which they download is arguably as important to mobile users as mobile friendliness”.

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How to create an effective mCommerce site: the concluding thoughts 1:

Usability was a key theme throughout the guide; highlighting its significance. Complex UX or unnecessarily long forms will frustrate consumers and may cause them to leave the site. The checkout process is the most crucial here, and it should be as simple as possible. Amazon state that if you are seeing checkout abandon rates reach between 60-80%, the process is not easy enough and should be rectified.

2:

Testing is another crucial part of the path to success. Understanding what works best for your individual mobile site can be achieved through user testing, A/B testing, monitoring user behaviour and obtaining feedback – and then used to great advantage.

3:

Consistency is key. Retailers need to ensure they are strong and consistent with brand, service, synchronisation and overall standards across all channels. This ensures consumer trust, and helps to overcome the omni-channel challenge.

4:

Today’s consumers flit between channels constantly, and have recently been dubbed ‘channelagnostic’. They will often visit multiple versions of a site before purchasing, and retailers have to ensure they do not get lost in between. According to ClickZ, “retailers need to stop trying to account for each channel separately and instead look to support the user as they move between channels”.

5:

Keep it simple: as much as it may be tempting to create advanced, complex mobile sites, this can actually cause customers to become frustrated. Make each user task as easy as possible. …......................... 28

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Progressive Web Apps Retailers are in the midst of debating whether to have a native mobile app or mobile web, but could there be an alternative option emerging? ‘Progressive Web Apps’ are a relatively new phenomenon and are essentially a hybrid of app and web. The term was only coined last year, so the future of this mobile offering currently remains unclear. As with any new development – there is both excitement and scepticism surrounding it.

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What are PWAs? PWA’s take aspects of both mobile apps and mobile web to create something in between. The ‘progressive’ nature is that the site adapts according to user behaviour.

1) User visits website with PWA technology

3) Site is now saved as an icon on home screen

If a user clicks on a mobile website for the first time, nothing changes. However, after multiple uses, the web app will start to store local data in the users’ device and will begin to behave like a native app. Then, there is an opportunity for the user to save the web app on their home screen as a shortcut. As you will see in the example below, it looks just like the icon for a native app. “When a user demonstrates through usage that they’re interested in using the app more regularly, browsers will invite the user to install the app to their home screens.” (JavaScript Scene) Users can also opt in to get notifications just like with an app, as well as access the site offline. IonicFramework.com summarise with the definition:

2) User can select option to add the site to their home screen

“A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a web app that uses modern web capabilities to deliver an app-like experience to users.” …............ 30 .........

So how do they work? As explained by Tutorialzine.com, “in its core a progressive web app isn’t different from a normal website – it’s made of HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and lives in the browser”.

Fresh

So then what constitutes a PWA? This list created by Google Developers identifies what features are required:

Safe

Progressive Work for every user, regardless of browser choice, because they are built with progressive enhancement as a core tenet.

Always up-to-date thanks to the service worker update process.

Served via HTTPS to prevent snooping and ensure content has not been tampered with.

Discoverable Are identifiable as “applications” thanks to W3C manifests and service worker registration scope allowing search engines to find them.

Responsive

Re-engageable

Fit any form factor, desktop, mobile, tablet, or whatever is next.

Make re-engagement easy through features like push notifications.

Connectivity independent

Installable

Enhanced with service workers to work offline or on low quality networks.

Allow users to “keep” apps they find most useful on their home screen without the hassle of an app store.

App-like

Linkable

Use the app-shell model to provide app-style navigation and interactions.

Easily share via URL and not require complex installation.

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Advantages of PWAs PWA’s already sound quite impressive, but there are other benefits too. The fact that a PWA is responsive means that brands don’t have to invest in creating apps for each platform; “they can build these experiences and have them work across the board” (Digiday). You could also deploy your native app as a PWA. This may sound excessive – but taking advantage of both channels would actually be deemed a wise move by many after such a significant and rapid switch towards mobile. As well as this, PWA’s don’t take up much space: “Over a period of time, the app will use less and less data from the internet because it has already stored frequently-used resources right on the device, just as a native app would.” They don’t require submission to the app store, nor do they require users to install them. All users need to do is visit the website and save it to their home screen. It’s also dynamic and can update with new content on its own, and be accessed while offline.” – Digiday

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Disadvantages of PWAs On the other hand, a huge disadvantage – and one which is holding PWA’s back significantly – is the fact that iOS doesn’t support the majority of the features. Apple’s Safari browser doesn’t allow push notifications, offline functionality or any advanced features offered by the ‘Service Worker’ software (Digiday). There is an option to use Cordova to rectify some of these blocks, but any app using Cordova will then need to be submitted the app store after all (since they are hybrid), removing the simplicity gained from the frictionless ‘Add to my home screen’ button. As well as this, support for hardware (such as the camera, accelerometer, etc) in PWA’s is not particularly reliable – even when using Cordova.

Eric Elliot, author of JavaScript Scene, admits: “Getting everything to work smoothly across all the device platforms does take a while. You also have to remember that you’ll miss out on the discoverability features and well-known installation procedures that users are familiar with in the app stores.” In addition to this it is worth noting that having an app on the App Store gives some users more confidence in the app, because it has actually been reviewed by Apple.

Finally, Google has recently introduced App Streaming, which allows Android users to run apps through Google Search. “That itself undermines the value of web apps in general, but more so for progressive web apps.”(1reddrop) …......................... 33

Summary It is clear that there is a long way to go before PWA’s have a chance of challenging the way brands use their mobile channels.

A fair few issues need to be ironed out, but the main concern is the lack of support from Apple. Although there are some signs that they may add support, the future is very uncertain and ultimately – organisations just aren’t willing to invest in them at the moment. For brands, the important thing is to keep aware of what is happening in the mobile space, but take action sooner rather than later.

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Retail Week

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With retail at a pivotal moment, no ambitious company can afford to ignore the velocity of change in the space.

If you are interested in any mobile app opportunities mentioned in this paper, please contact us for more information at [email protected] Bijou Commerce is a tech company dedicated to helping retailers make more from their mobile channel. www.bijoucommerce.com …......................... 35

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References Mobile Marketing Association (2010) http://www.mmaglobal.com/files/MMALightspeed_May_FRA_%20Consumer_Briefing_Mobile_Comme rce_Exec_Sum.pdf IMRG (2015) https://www.uk.capgemini.com/news/uk-news/imrg-capgemini-eretail-sales-index-ps24-billion-spent-online-over-festive-period eMarketer (2015) http://www.statista.com/statistics/249863/us-mobile-retailcommerce-sales-as-percentage-of-e-commerce-sales/ Flurry (2015) http://flurrymobile.tumblr.com/post/127638842745/seven-yearsinto-the-mobile-revolution-content-is Smart Insights (2016) http://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobilemarketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/ …......................... 36

Venture Beat (2016) http://venturebeat.com/2016/09/06/mobile-commerce-warsapps-versus-mobile-web/ KPCB Internet Trends Report (2015) http://www.slideshare.net/kleinerperkins/internet-trends-v1 Criteo - State of Mobile Commerce (2015) http://www.criteo.com/media/1894/criteo-state-of-mobilecommerce-q1-2015-ppt.pdf Data Mentors, MyBuys Data (2015) http://www.datamentors.com/blog/four-ways-personalizationincreases-sales-retailers Intelliverse (2015) http://www.intelliverse.com/blog/2015/10/06/the-power-ofpersonalized-product-recommendations/ Coupofy (2016) http://www.coupofy.com/blog/infographics/mobile-commerce-willgrow-twice-as-fast-as-ecommerce-in-2017-infographic Essential Retail (2015) http://www.essentialretail.com/comment/article/55c3668bd5e31comment-mobile-website-vs-mobile-app Adotaas (2016) http://www.adotas.com/2016/07/mobile-ecommerce-how-itschanging-the-world/

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