Unlike eCommerce, m-commerce or mobile commerce is a barely-heard term these days. However, it is important to be in the realisation of the significance of the concept of m-commerce, especially in the context of eCommerce. M-commerce is the most preferred channel for eCommerce brands and businesses. This is evident in how shopping apps in smartphones have become more popular than their counterparts in the form of websites commonly used on bigger devices like computers, tablets, or laptops.
In this communiqué, retail and eCommerce consultants – Your Retail Coach (YRC) shares insights on some of the emerging trends in M-Commerce with an emphasis on the MENA region comprising countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt among others.
Smartphones to rule for now but…
Today, smartphones are almost an indispensable requirement, especially if seen through the lenses of their utility when combined with the element of the internet. It is evident from the fact that today, smartphone applications are helping agriculturalists in rural towns and villages access solutions from experts working from specialised call centres. However, much before that, smartphones became a channel to enable shopping. Brands and businesses saw the growing adoption of smartphones and capitalised on the opportunity. This did not happen overnight and the existence of online shopping (using tools other than smartphones – mainly computers and laptops) helped the transition. Smartphones as a channel of m-commerce are likely to stay for a while. Potential technologies that can disrupt this trend are smart bands/watches, VR, IoT-enabled devices, applied Artificial Intelligence, etc. If these or any other set of technologies can make shopping better for customers and turn out to be cost-effective for businesses, m-commerce via smartphones will see a decline.
Innovative Applications of Voice Commerce in M-Commerce
Voice commerce is not a channel per se but it serves as a strategic tool for improving customer experience. For example, the feature of adding voice-based instructions is becoming common in delivery service apps. It makes it easier for customers to add voice notes explaining addresses instead of typing them. Voice commerce may find many such innovative applications in last-mile delivery solutions in the MENA region facilitating customer experience and business processes and operations.
While voice commerce complements m-commerce, it is also capable of complementing devices other than smartphones as well. For example, nowadays, smartwatches come with voice features like making calls or listening to GPS directions. If shopping becomes a reality over smartwatches (not smartwatches as a smaller version of smartphones but say one that is powered by voice commerce and AI), new terms like w-commerce (w for watch) would not sound bad. Speaking of the general willingness level in the adoption of novel digital tools and technologies, cities like Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Kuwait City, and Doha do not fail to impress.
Meet M’s Cousin – Social Commerce
Social commerce has emerged as a facilitator of M-commerce. The default platform for online shopping in smartphones is apps (shopping/service apps of eCommerce/online brands and businesses). However, online shopping is also possible via social media apps. Over a single click on the link provided in a social media post, users can be redirected to the product page from where customers can further their shopping journeys. The reason for using social media as a sales channel in m-commerce is the former’s widespread popularity and usage. Instead of going through search engines, many businesses find it easier to reach out to their audiences via social media platforms. The big advantage of social media is that brands can deploy multiple strategies for visibility like creative content, instant marketing, hashtags, influencers’ services, paid promotions, etc. However, it is not easy in social media also as the understanding of algorithms takes time, extensive competition, difficulties in creating unique content, etc. In summary, despite all the challenges in standing out on social media, it will remain a supplementary sales channel for m-commerce if not the mainstream one. The popularity of social media is unlikely to fade any time soon.
Further integration of AR, VR, and applied AI
Many brands and businesses with m-commerce as a channel for shopping or delivery of services have already incorporated AR, VR, and/or AI-based features in their shopping/service apps. The integration of these technologies will receive higher adoption in the coming years. As experienced m-commerce consultants, YRC sees strong reasons for this. Every new generation of technologies that go into smartphones (e.g. processors, RAM, operating systems, sensors, security, APIs, etc.) is becoming more compact and powerful – designed to meet heavy-weight and diverse user requirements. Parallelly, technologies like AR and VR are also becoming popular for various purposes like gaming and shopping. Given how smartphones have become a part of normal life for the conduct of both leisure and essential activities, the coming together of AR and VR capabilities with smartphones is nearly unavoidable. When this phenomenon begins to gain higher momentum, brands will try to empower their m-commerce capabilities accordingly. AR and VR also have the potential to develop stronger and more secure mobile payment gateway for eCommerce. For example, digital wallets for eCommerce purposes may have an additional layer of authentication using interactive VR.
About Your Retail Coach:
Your Retail Coach is a retail and eCommerce consulting house providing enterprise startup and management solutions. With 10+ years in business and a scaling international footprint, including in the Middle East, the firm has served 500+ clients in over 25 industries with a success rate of 95%. In m-commerce business consulting, YRC provides planning and implementation solutions for enterprise set-up and business growth and expansion.