As shoppers move farther away from their desktops to make more and more purchases online, it is imperative that retailers understand and address the frustrations many users have with their mobile retail experience.
Connexity conducted a mobile study of over 100,000 online shoppers and uncovered their biggest complaints about shopping on mobile devices.
1. Too much pinching, zooming and mis-clicks
The number one mobile pain point that one-third of all online shoppers cited was the need to constantly enlarge their screen in order to click the right thing.
One way retailers can improve this common frustration is through ‘image padding’. If a button or an image acts as a link, consider placing a few pixels of “padding” before the link becomes effective.
Additionally, websites should look to support scrolling on their mobile sites. Mobile shoppers tend to scroll significantly more than they click. Make sure your experience supports scrolling, and you give shoppers enough space to scroll without hitting too many accidental links along the way.
2. Slow load time
Slow mobile load time may be unavoidable in some cases, but there are also some simple steps you can take to reduce it.
Retailers should consider reducing their image file sizes on their mobile sites. By reducing image sizes to the exact size needed to fit the page, consumers will experience much quicker load times on your page, but be sure they also support the zoom feature, if available.
3. Inconsistent Product Availability
The mobile and desktop shopping experience are bound to look different on the surface, but shoppers hate it when they are fundamentally different. Completely changing your navigation or product availability on mobile can lead to frustration for omni-channel shoppers.
Retailers should look to improve their discoverability, but retailers must ensure that navigation is consistent, and use “smart search” to suggest products with similar keywords to help them find the product quickly.
4. Text is too small to read
Having text which is too small to read is a widely known problem, but it remains a persistent complaint by mobile shoppers.
If the text seems a little on the small side, a little too light, or not contrasted enough with the background, just change it. It’s never worth the risk of losing customers just because they’re tired of squinting. Think larger and less text, always ask “how can we say this in fewer words?”
5. Don’t make me type!
Screens have gotten larger, but mobile shoppers still don’t like typing on their mobile phones—and let’s be honest, they probably never will.
Along with smart search with auto-suggestions, solutions like PayPal can significantly reduce checkout time. Solutions such as Google Wallet, PayPal and more, are great time saving tools for customers as they no longer need to enter their credit card and address information at each purchase.
6. Images are too small
Great mobile shopping experiences require a delicate balance; space is extremely limited, but content must be large enough to read.
E-tailers must be more thoughtful in their mobile content prioritisation, as product images are the bread and butter of an e-Commerce business. However, ensure to aim for no more than four to six images on the screen at once, otherwise the images may be too small.
7. Limited product information
While cutting copy on your homepage and category pages can free up precious space on your mobile screen, never sacrifice your product copy, eliminate or reduce product details to save space - instead get smart about how you display it.
One way to get work around limited real estate on your product page, is by offering a teaser then a “click for more” option. Retailers can also consider dividing your product description into tabs, for example, description, details, return policy, etc.
8. Data security concerns
In the wake of so many public data breaches, consumer concerns over data security remain alive and well.
Retailers should consistently remind shoppers that their information is safe and offer payment systems like PayPal and Google Wallet which don’t require shoppers to enter their personal details. Using terminology such as “enter secure checkout” throughout your mobile site, and offering further information about your security measures for those who want to learn more will also ensure your customers are aware of your sites security measures.
Act now!
Mobile shoppers are frustrated by online experiences that are compromised by the size of their device. Until the technology provides more flexible options for display, brands need to get smart about the way information is displayed and accessed.
By Hayley Silver, VP of insights at Connexity
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