Once again, it is that big time of year for retailers. With consumers increasingly using their mobile devices as part of their shopping experience, retailers need to make sure they are giving consumers the opportunity to shop easily and conveniently.
However, a new study I came across by The Search Agency, which looked at 100 multichannel retailers, found that retailers´ mobile websites are far from perfect. The websites were assessed against seven criteria: site format, store locator, page load time, search box, social media presence, app presence and click-to-call. Then they were given a score out of five. Results showed that not a single brand was given the maximum score of five, and the average score was just three.
One of the key findings from the study was that only one of the 100 brands used responsive design, while 91 had a dedicated mobile site. Eight of the surveyed brands did not have a separate mobile site at all.
When it came to loading time, the average rate was 3.62 seconds; far longer than the one second recommended by Google. In fact, only 16 of the 100 mobile sites loaded within the recommended time frame.
A look at the other criteria against which brands were assessed reveals that 98% of the sites included store locators, 94% had a search box, just over half of them linked to social media and about a third linked to an app. Some 45% featured a click-to-call button, the Search Agency said.
As a brand, are you putting mobile at the pivot of your consumers´ experience? And, as a consumer, what would you change?
By Ben Hollom