What ‘Mobile Friendly’ Means for E-Commerce Websites

It’s relatively difficult to understand how Google's recent algorithmic change which placed wholly more importance on mobile before took anyone by surprise. It's been common knowledge for years that mobile was and is still taking over as the world's primary web access method - how this could have slipped the attention of any webmaster is unfathomable to say the least.With over 50% of all Google searches happening by way of mobile, it’s really no longer a case of doing things just because the powers that be tell you to. Instead, it's about making sure you not only reach your target audience, but also that your ecommerce business gives them everything they need regardless of their method of access. And while all web businesses will vary by way of niche, direction and thus the most appropriate approach to take, there are certain hard and fast rules that apply to all ecommerce ventures now more than ever before.   1 – Multi-Platform SupportThese days, it's not uncommon for the same person to have an Android smartphone, a tablet PC running iOS and their partner to have a Windows Phone. In such instances, there's nothing more frustrating than coming across an ecommerce site that works fine on one or two, but is wholly unusable on the other. It just smacks of laziness and gives the impression that you don't give a damn about a gigantic proportion of your target market, so if you plan to go mobile these days, you need to make the effort to support all popular platforms.2 - Page ComplexitySomething else to be very much aware of is page complexity, which in its own right has the potential to make or break your site. You have to bear in mind that those looking to shop with you may not only have a comparatively low-end mobile device, but may also have a pretty poor signal at the time. The more complex the page, the lower the chance they'll stick around long enough for the thing to load up. For the mobile crowd, simplicity sells...big time.3 - Ease of NavigationThere's very little more infuriating than trying to hit a link that's no more than 1mm in height on a tiny touchscreen only for the site to keep registering your touch as hitting the link below. Poor quality navigation is outright suicide for ecommerce websites as given the amount of clicks needed and data to be entered, those encountering these kinds of annoyances simply will not bother.4 -Simplified TextSomething else to bear in mind is the way in which mobile device users are generally even less inclined to read ream after ream of text than their desktop web access counterparts. As such, it's imperative that you cut to the chase and get to the point of what you want to say immediately, saving longer explanations and details for a slightly later stage. If they can't immediately see what they want, they won't hang around.5 - Impulse PurchasesLast but not least, it's of critical importance to remember that a vast proportion of mobile ecommerce sales happen by way of unplanned impulse purchases made on a whim. From commuting to work to sitting on the toilet to waiting for buses and so on, billions of pounds are spent annually on these kinds of buys. As such, for the sake of your own business it's a good idea to make sure that from landing on the first page to making a purchase is a process that can be completed in no more than about 3 minutes. The longer and more complicated you make the shopping experience, the lower the chance of your own ecommerce site scooping up those often highly lucrative and uniquely frequent impulse purchases.