In brief
Mobile commerce has become a mainstream e-commerce sales channel, according to Criteo's 2016 report. Smartphones dominate mobile transactions in key Asia-Pacific markets, while mobile apps achieve conversion rates three times those of mobile websites and higher average order values. Retailers are advised to build seamless mobile and cross-device shopping experiences.
When you shop online, do you use your phone or a PC? As mobile commerce becomes increasingly important in e-commerce, mobile devices and personal computers (PCs) have now reached a crossover point. Digital advertising technology company Criteo today released its mobile commerce report for the first half of 2016, analysing mobile shopping behaviour in Asia-Pacific. The report finds that mobile devices now dominate the e-commerce industry and have become its mainstream sales channel.
Criteo notes that as more consumers shop online using PCs, mobile devices or both, the transaction rate on mobile devices has surpassed that of traditional online shopping on PCs.
Across all retailers, transactions made through mobile devices grew by 19% compared with last year. In Southeast Asia, major retailers saw their mobile sales volume grow by 37% year on year in the first half of 2016, now accounting for 54% of all e-commerce transactions.
Notably, mobile online shopping in Taiwan has already reached 60% of total e-commerce transactions, making it the country with the highest mobile shopping share in Asia.
Criteo's report finds that a growing number of mobile shoppers primarily use smartphones. For the first time, smartphones account for the majority of mobile transactions in several major markets worldwide, particularly in Asia-Pacific markets such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
In Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Southeast Asia, more than 80% of mobile transactions take place on smartphones rather than tablets. By comparison, 30% of mobile transactions in the United States and the United Kingdom take place on tablets, indicating higher adoption of smartphone shopping in Asia-Pacific. In Indonesia, more than 83% of mobile transactions are made through smartphones, leading Southeast Asian countries in both share and growth rate.
Mobile apps also feature prominently in this study. The report finds that mobile apps achieve higher conversion rates than other online shopping environments and generate higher order values.
Criteo notes that in the second quarter of 2016, retailers with well-designed mobile apps saw the share of transactions through apps rise from 47% in 2015 to 54%. Mobile apps also achieved higher conversion rates than other online shopping environments, with conversion rates three times those of mobile websites.
In addition, order values on mobile apps surpassed those on PCs and mobile websites for the first time. Transactions through apps averaged US$127, compared with US$100 for online shopping on PCs and US$91 on mobile websites.
Asia-Pacific Executive Managing Director 張憶芬 said that the growth potential of mobile commerce in Asia-Pacific continues to increase. As retailers continue to invest in mobile shopping platforms, mobile shopping is overtaking PCs in its share of transactions, bringing mobile commerce to a critical tipping point.
She recommended that retailers take the next step by creating truly seamless mobile services and cross-device experiences to encourage more users to complete transactions during the digital shopping journey.
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