One statistic is worrying entrepreneurs : m-commerce (commerce via mobile technologies) will grow by 42%, while e-commerce (commerce via traditional websites) will only grow by 13% between 2013 and 2016, reveals the study " PayPal Mobile Research ".
This information is concerning because, since entrepreneurs are the people who plan the future of companies, they must carefully calculate where they will invest their resources in order to avoid losses and increase profits.
Everyone, then, knows that m-commerce will grow in the coming years, however, there are at least two ways to invest in this area. Which one do you think digital entrepreneurs should bet more chips on?:
1 - Mobile App
Application/software usually designed with Swift programming language (in the case of iOS) and Java (in the case of Android) to run on smartphones and tablets. It can interact with other applications.
To work, your online store application must be downloaded and installed on your consumer's device, who will be able to view your content and see your offers even if they are offline.
In general, apps are faster and more interactive than Mobile Sites. In addition, they help users to save on internet data packets, as they do not need to reload codes, scripts and images.
2 - Mobile Site
In this case, the website of your virtual store opens directly in the browser, adapted to the small screens of smartphones and tablets, but does not interact with the device's applications.
The mobile site adapts to small screens to avoid visual clutter and usability issues, which can drive customers away, cause shopping cart abandonment , and other problems.
For the entrepreneur, a Mobile Site requires less investment, generates less maintenance and less compatibility issues than a Mobile App, in addition to providing better adherence to Digital Marketing campaigns.
There are already e-commerce platforms on the market, such as Vtex , for example, that have features for creating websites designed primarily and especially for small screens. These are known as Mobile First.
But if I were asked to give you a tip, I would say that you should bet on both technologies, because with a Mobile Site virtual store you will be able to reach the market for iOS and Android users and with the Mobile App you will be able to offer greater agility, interaction and entertainment to its consumers, which will make them loyal.
