{"id":834,"date":"2018-02-23T05:05:13","date_gmt":"2018-02-23T13:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/?p=834"},"modified":"2025-10-30T04:37:56","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:37:56","slug":"4-significant-mcommerce-trends-for-2018-and-why-they-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/4-significant-mcommerce-trends-for-2018-and-why-they-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Significant Mobile Commerce Trends and Why They Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"

A guide to mobile marketing insights and why they\u2019re important to your business<\/span><\/i><\/h2>\n

<\/i>“If your plans don\u2019t include mobile, your plans are not finished.” – <\/span><\/i>Wendy Clarke<\/span><\/i><\/a>, Coca-Cola<\/span><\/i><\/h2>\n

eCommerce has been of vital importance to businesses of all shapes and sizes for some years now, forming a core part of the digital revolution and how we as humans interact with the world around us. And mCommerce is the next stage of that journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mobile commerce is critical to building brand awareness and expanding your customer base and as such, it should form an important part of your digital marketing strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no use denying it: we are living in a mobile world. In fact, the projected transaction value of global mCommerce sales in 2019 is expected to rise to the <\/span>$693.39 billion mark<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s consumer, particularly millennials and budding digital natives, like to consume content, conduct research, share their thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and make essential buying decisions anytime, anyplace, anywhere. That said, if you’re unable to deliver a user-friendly mobile experience to your target audience, as a retailer, you can kiss your commercial growth goodbye.<\/span><\/p>\n

All areas of digital marketing are essential, but, without placing a strong focus on your mCommerce efforts, not only do you stand to lose out on incredibly valuable repeat custom, but you could also get left behind by your competitors.<\/span>To help you tap into today’s mobile mentality and win on the mobile commerce business, we\u2019re going to explore four essential mCommerce trends you need to know about in 2018, the kind of which that will help you grow your customer base and <\/span>boost your sales<\/span><\/a> exponentially.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evolved chatbots and mobile messengers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

“In today\u2019s modern world, people are either asleep or connected.” – Janice H. Reinold, Rosetta Marketing<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

According to a <\/span>recent report<\/span><\/a>, mCommerce is outpacing both eCommerce and <\/span>brick and mortar<\/span><\/a> sales quite significantly – and some of this success boils down to the undeniable convenience of mobile devices.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a bid to make their mCommerce offerings even more convenient, brands including Nordstrom, Starbucks, and H&M are all looking to invest in mobile-specific chatbots and automated messengers this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

A recent survey from eMarketer suggests that <\/span>54.4% of today\u2019s social media users<\/span><\/a> prefer messenger apps to converse with brands over email, phone calls, or the traditional online chat format – a clear catalyst for the adoption of mobile chatbots this year, and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n

ChatBots and mobile seem to go hand in hand as together, they possess the ability to reach customers and respond to shopper requests in real-time, as well as learn from previous transactions to help offer an increasingly personalized shopping experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

What’s more, chatbots integrate with the likes of Facebook Messenger and Skype so there is little need to install a native app to run them.<\/span><\/p>\n

With <\/span>57% of consumers<\/span><\/a> confirming an interested in chatbots for their instantaneity, 2018 might be the year to integrate chatbots into your mCommerce strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Augmented reality<\/strong><\/h2>\n

“Virtual reality and augmented reality will change the way we shop.” – Michio Kaku, Theoretical Physicist<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n

In 2018, the rise of augmented reality, or AR as its also known, will make its mark on the world of mCommerce, dominating the industry in a big way.<\/span><\/p>\n

This year, a host of retailers are expected to integrate AR into their physical stores, a move that will most definitely enhance the consumer shopping experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

But much of the expected spike in AR adoption will be driven by mobile, with specialized brand apps providing a more immersive, intuitive and personal user experience than ever before.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the pioneers of mobile-based AR is Swedish flat pack empire, IKEA. In September 2016, the brand launched an app called IKEA Place that uses Apple\u2019s iOS 11 ARKit technology. This immersive app gives shoppers the power to place furniture in their rooms virtually to see how it will match up with the existing decoration. <\/span><\/p>\n

Take a look at it here: <\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4jrhw_ZRjV4<\/span><\/a> (this is the video URL)<\/b><\/p>\n

Watch video<\/b><\/p>\n