Usually a bit removed from the main traffic flow, inventory will be more diversely stocked to appeal to comparison shoppers who are more interested in taking the time to look through many options to find the best value.
What kind of shopper does your website attract?
Until recently, online shopping has been more the domain of comparison shoppers. Being able to shop from home on a traditional computer offers many advantages to someone who is willing to take more time to research purchasing options and wait for shipping.
These days, however, new opportunities are emerging for appealing to the interests of convenience shoppers due to the growing power and popularity of mobile devices, but just as brick-and-mortar stores have learned, a business needs to be able to meet these customers where they are at to gain their interest.
Who are convenience shoppers?
Convenience shoppers are those who place higher value on savings in time over savings in money. Because they are more pressed for time, it can be more difficult to gain their attention initially to show what you have to offer, but this can also work to your advantage after establishing a relationship with them since they are much more likely to remain loyal to someone they trust rather than shop around.
In the eyes of a convenience shopper, it's not just the final purchased product that is valuable but also the service received to simplify the purchasing process.
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Gaining access to these shoppers through mobile devices
Just as traditional computers opened up new and exciting possibilities for those with time to spend at home, the continuing advancement of mobile devices is now doing the same for people on-the-go.
Thus, marketing development for these devices isn't just for creating more purchasing options but also accessing entirely new types of customers whose shopping interests may have kept your brand outside of their view before.
In return, however, to gain and keep their attention, you have to be able to interact with them in their realm according to their terms. Generally speaking, when they go to shop, it's for a need they want to get taken care of immediately so they can go on with their day.
You can't expect them to stumble upon a site that they can't easily use and be so excited about it that they'll wait till they get home to their computer to make a purchase.
Is it worth the cost?
While there may be some need for additional investments to meet the expectations and needs of mobile shoppers, there is also great potential for return on this investment as well.
Demographically speaking, consumers who value their time over money tend to have more purchasing power and more purchasing needs and are often willing to reciprocate in loyalty and more premium pricing in exchange for a more personalized shopping experience where they feel their values are given respect.
Mobile devices also are quickly developing more capabilities than traditional computers offer to be able to interact with the customer in more places throughout the buying process. Investing in marketing development for this sector sooner rather than later will start producing the returns sooner as well and give a company a lot of advantage over non-invested competitors.
Kyle SandersAbout the Guest Author:
Kyle Sanders is Head of Search for Complete Web Resources, an SEO firm and digital refinery that provides professional SEO services and integrated web marketing solutions to small and national firms across numerous verticals.