Businesses hoping to maintain success throughout the coming years would do best to spread their products across as many channels of commerce as possible: a recent study suggests that the majority of American consumers engage with their favorite brands in myriad ways.
Offering credit card processing online to shoppers browsing products on a desktop computer is no longer enough: the latest study by comScore found that more than half of U.S. digital consumers engaged with brands on both computers and mobile devicesduring April 2013, a first. The number of consumers using both methods continued to increase through June, illustrating the need for businesses to host credit card wireless terminals in as many locations, and across as many different channels, as possible.
Mobile devices are continuing to be the fastest growing force in the e-commerce sector: mobile commerce in the U.S. is growing at a year-over-year rate of 30 percent, according to comScore, and has significantly affected the retail landscape in general. In some sectors, the increase is even more substantial: sports websites have recently experienced a 229 percent increase of mobile visitors, according to the report.
Businesses leverage mobile to help them improve service and sales
Many companies are now utilizing mobile devices for payment processing - even in the food service industry. Representatives from Domino's Pizza recently spoke to Mobile Commerce Daily about the ways they're using smartphones and tablets to increase their revenue. The news outlet reported that 35 percent of the company's global digital sales - which account for roughly $2 billion - are now processed via credit card terminalsaccessed through mobile devices.
"Mobile is playing an important role for the pizza chains," Dick Rients, senior vice president and director of DDB Chicago, told Mobile Commerce Daily. "Domino's, Pizza Hut and Papa John's are making significant investments in digital and mobile, making it easier for their customers to place and track orders."
Branded mobile applications tied into online payment processors can do more than simply increase revenue - they can improve service. Domino's British master franchisee told the news outlet that sales from mobile devices have increased 102 percent year-over-year, with a fellow Domino's spokesperson noting that smartphone and tablet applications allow the company to fulfill orders both more quickly and more accurately than ever before - helping to improve customer goodwill as well.
"Mobile's growing popularity provides retailers with an opportunity to deliver convenience to customers' right in their pockets," Melody Adhami, president of Plastic Mobile, told Mobile Commerce Daily.
