Effects of Mobile E-Commerce on Retailers - E-Commerce Report from Canadian Government Sheds Light

In 2012, as a result of the dramatic changes that Canadian society has experienced as a result of technological changes over the past several years, the government conducted research on e-commerce as an industry. Called E-Commerce in Canada: Pursuing the Promise, Report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, this report shed a great deal of light on the impacts of e-commerce and mobile e-commerce on retailers.  

According to the report, 79% of Canadian households have internet access, and of this 79%, 74% use the internet to browse or shop for goods or services online.  In 2010 alone, online purchases resulted in $15.8 billion in sales. The online market is booming – but how is it affecting your business?

Now, more than ever, Canadians are coming to rely on their smartphones for far more than just talking and texting – realistically most of what can be done from a laptop in the home office can be accomplished anywhere from a mobile device. This on-the-spot purchasing power that mobile e-commerce represents is great for consumers, but not so good for retailers trying to deal with the competition.

So how can you handle the impacts of mobile e-commerce? It is simple. Sure you may not be able to offer the same convenience that comes from the ability to give consumers what they want at the tap of a finger, but by working with a retail merchandising company you can keep those consumers in the store and maintain sales.

Where grocery stores are concerned – a great deal of shoppers do their shopping in store. If you offer CPG brands that are sold in a grocery store then your customer’s in-store experience is key, especially if you want to keep them coming back to buy more.

Think about it, when a consumer makes a purchase online, generally as far as they can see the product is available, clearly priced, they expedite payment and then their product is delivered. Customers must have the same experience when they visit a retailer to purchase your product. Product should be in stock, clearly priced and where it is supposed to be according to your planogram.  

Experiential marketing and promotional campaigns are also a great way to manage the mobile e-commerce rivalry. Once you get consumers through the door an intelligent way to influence their purchases is to make suggestions through campaigns that offer sales or give them a chance to try.

A great way to manage your retail merchandising and have boots on the ground, without the cost of a huge team, is to work with a retail merchandising company who has the coverage and expertise to support your needs at a fraction of the cost of having a front line workforce.

For many retailers, e-commerce represents a huge market for sales – as long as you are using it to sell. If you are not, you need to be looking at other methods to deal with this competition.

For more information about how to handle the competition created by mobile e-commerce, please contact Storesupport today by calling 1-877-421-5081 or visit us online at www.storesupport.ca.