From the development of new and advanced technologies to the takeover of social media, retail is one of the industries expected to always be at the top of its game and holding the attention of consumers. So, when it comes to trends shaping CX around mobile commerce, Sally Feinson, Marketing, Brand and Communications Director at Trade Me is well placed to share insights into marketing strategy that works.
For retail marketers, many say mobile commerce is the next big thing.
One company working to prioritise mobile commerce in its retail marketing strategy is New Zealand’s very own Trade Me, the country’s largest online website for selling items, property listings and jobs.
To understand why Trade Me is tapping into mobile commerce for its retail marketing strategy and how SMEs can do the same, we talk to Sally Feinson, Marketing, Brand and Communications Director.
Feinson says most Kiwis can’t go anywhere without their mobile. However, the benefit of always being with a mobile is that shopping has become more accessible, meaning that Kiwis can now shop from anywhere, at any time.
“We’ve seen a consistent increase in users migrating from using our website to our app, with over three quarters of our Trade Me audience now buying, selling and browsing on our apps,” says Feinson.
She also adds that with mobile apps there is “without question” more engagement from app users.
“We see much stronger conversion rates within our apps,” she says.
Engagement with mobile apps for shopping is guaranteed to be high for retailers as users have gone through the effort of downloading the application. Mobile apps for retail stores are also a more efficient and user-friendly experience than through a web browser on the phone.
Trade Me is taking advantage of the move towards mobile commerce after seeing a rise in users compared to its website.
“We’re moving towards becoming a mobile first business to continue to deliver great experiences for our customers,” Feinson adds.
In order to get their customers to use the Trade Me app, Feinson says that the company’s marketing strategy has completely changed to prioritise the mobile.
“We take an ‘app-first’ approach to product development, with a number of features – like ‘Make an offer’ and ‘Messages’ – initially launched exclusively in our apps,” she says.
The features, exclusive to the Trade Me app are set to excel the experience for users, convincing consumers to head towards the app.
Being one of New Zealand’s largest companies, what can SMEs learn from shifting their retail marketing strategy towards mobile commerce?
Feinson says that the most important aspect that should be implemented in the strategy is the “mobile experience”.
“It’s important to consider the end-to-end mobile experience and keep your customer in your mobile/app ecosystem. The entire journey should feel unified and consistent with your brand,” she says.
She adds that making the customer experience is easy from the get-go will catch the attention of the customer.
Trade Me ensures that information customers expect such as shipping costs, timeframes, and tracking are upfront and reliable from the beginning of the buyer journey.
“Data is king,” Feinson says, explaining that data is now a priority and gives the retailer the information needed to understand the customer’s needs.
“This means you can then personalise and optimise their experience. It should go without saying but you must ensure you have robust privacy processes in place to safeguard your customers’ data,” she says.
Feinson also adds that retail marketing is heading towards greater personalisation, so it is key for retailers to start investing in it.
“More consumers are wanting personalised experiences online so it’s important to show them what they’re interested in and what’s relevant to their needs. There is no one size fits all anymore,” she adds.
Outside of mobile commerce, Feinson also adds that e-commerce shopping on social media is another “developing trend” for retail marketing and is something to look out for.
“We’re seeing more and more consumers use social media for browsing and shopping, particularly younger Kiwis,” she says.
For more information on retail marketing, NZ Marketing magazine in association with MediaWorks is hosting an in-person, full-day conference, bringing together retailers and their marketing partners to workshop future-facing marketing strategy.
The Future of Retail Marketing conference will include speakers from across the industry and will be held at The Cloud in Auckland on July 28, 2022.
To find out more about the conference, the speakers and ticket details, click here.
