Mobile Friendly E-Commerce Websites Now a Necessity

The number of Australians using smart phones has jumped to 7.5 million users, a full one-third increase from the previous year, according to Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) 2012-13 Communications report.

“Usage is up, choices and platforms are growing, mobility is all-consuming and our online experience is getting deeper and more intense, as we do more and more activities via the internet,” said Chris Chapman, ACMA chairman. Moreover, the number of adult mobile users accessing the Internet increased to 42% during the same period. A whopping 323% increase since 2010. These statistics demonstrate that more customers are doing business and shopping online than ever before and mobile friendly e-commerce websites are no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity.

The challenge many website owners are facing is the varying screen sizes and resolutions among mobile devices. Also, online visitors often go back and forth between their smart phone, tablet and desktop. Therefore, a website today must have the same look and feel regardless of screen size or risk alienating millions of potential online visitors. If that weren’t enough to keep most webmasters awake at night, Google is trying out a mobile friendly ranking signal theoretically penalising websites in search results that are not mobile friendly.

It is now equally important for e-commerce website owners to place as much emphasis on the mobile experience as they do for desktop users. This often involves re-coding a website using a response e-commerce design which automatically adjusts to fit the browser’s screen size.

Website owners who are unsure of the number of users already visiting with a mobile device can check their stats in Google Analytics. Many will be surprised to learn that it is not only higher than thought, but growing incrementally. They can also analyse their pages to determine if it passes the Google mobile friendly test.