Times are changing faster than ever, and with groundbreaking features like Apple Pay coming to Shopify this Fall are you prepared to make the most of it? Simply hitting enable in the dashboard is not going to cut it.
For July’s eCommerce Toronto Meetup at Shopify’s office in Toronto we discussed how online business owners can make the most of this roll out and how to improve customer engagement on a mobile device.
Who better to lead the Meetup on this topic than Demac Media’s Director of Shopify Solutions, Jason Kemp. Jason joined us to discuss brand new mobile features like Apple Pay, and how merchants can make the most of them for the big Fall release. Jason also discussed the horizon in the mobile world to help online retailers be proactive rather than reactive!
ApplePay and the Mobile Landscape on Shopify
George Loewenstein, Professor of Economics and Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University
Why is Apple Pay a big deal? Well, to put it simply, pulling out your wallet has a certain connotation, pulling out your phone does not. First came cash, next the Credit Card, now mobile payment systems, to make it easier for consumers to spend.
This is not just ease of transaction at point of need, but removes discomfort of parting with money. eCommerce giant Amazon already began experimenting with this by launching Dash buttons. These are branded buttons that Amazon’s customers can place throughout their homes, and press to restock essentials like Tide Laundry detergent. Buying becomes so easy, it doesn’t feel like you’re spending money at all, and it’s a genius way to encourage repeat purchases.
The convenience doesn’t stop there, Amazon is working with Whirlpool to create a washing machine that’s integrated to automatically order detergent when it detects that supplies are low. Sound scary? This is the way things are moving in overall commerce. Amazon is paving the way to normalize this process and train consumers to accept this new way of shopping.
Payments Landscape
The more value these payment options provide the more mass adoption. Retailers are using loyalty program integrations with Android and Apple Pay to help facilitate this adoption by consumers.
For example Walgreens was the first to launch a loyalty program integrated with Apple Pay to seamlessly let their customers use their account and collect points.
However, payments is an increasingly crowded space with; Android Pay, Samsung Pay, Amazon, Paypal, and even Walmart Pay, which you scan like the Starbucks application to pay, receive store receipts, and refill prescriptions.
So who will win the mobile payments battle? Those that can provide the most value to consumers. Apple Pay and Walgreens give the options to sign up for their loyalty program, and with every purchase you make you are automatically collecting rewards points. Instead of having loyalty cards all over the place, you can store all your shopping information in one simple place.
Demac Media’s Shopify merchants, are currently using Paypal and Shopify Payments.
For mobile device, we made the size of the paypal button on mobile bigger, it makes it so much for people to check out
We tested amazon but found that peope arent using it. Every customer base is different, so try different buttons and see what works for your store.
Our recommendation for Shopify Merchants
Build a campaign around the Apple Pay launch and ride the wave. Two that we would suggest are email campaigns or device based promotions on release day. Using javascript you can easily target those shopping from an Apple device, and have a lightbox appear that you can program to offer 15% off of purchases, as an example.
Your Mobile Strategy
Going responsive is not a mobile strategy. If you think responsiveness is your mobile strategy then you’re leaving money on the table.
A great example of this is what the The New York Times did for their relaunch. Their goal throughout the project was to “keep you in mind”, “you” being the readers. The redesign wasn’t fully responsive – and did it even matter for them? Aside from a few critics of this decision, the website is more popular than ever.
Multi-device Shopping is here
Smartphones, Tablets, and Desktops. Your mobile strategy needs to include designing a unique experience for each device. Consumers are using a combination of each device in specific ways:
Smartphones
- Light browsing/purchasing
- Smaller basket size
- Glue connecting contexts together
Tablets
- Deeper browsing with more real estate
- 1-4 items/cart outpace desktop and smartphones
Desktop
YOY, purchasing on desktop decreased from 79% to 71%
Conversational Commerce
Mobile messaging apps are hugely popular, and with advances in Artificial Intelligence being made, commerce is going conversational. Big brands like Walmart are rolling out these changes, and in doing so training customers to accept this as the new norm.
Facebook Messenger is championing conversational commerce
Facebook Messenger lets users on execute on a variety of tasks to make their lives easier. You’ll need to be on there too. Thankfully Shopify has made it easy for merchants on the platform to integrate with Facebook Messenger, so that you can easily operate at the same level as Walmart. The conversation with your customer can start automatically after purchase, then Shopify will send updates to your customer via messenger – like tracking numbers or a map of where the product is. You even have the ability to upsell in conversation.
Kit Will be Your Next Hire
Kit is an artificially intelligent marketing bot recently acquired by Shopify. Kit can help you run more business more efficiently, by helping you with a wide-range of tasks to help you drive sales on your Shopify store. Every day Kit sends you a Facebook Message or SMS text (your preference) with marketing suggestions. Simply reply ‘Yes’ and Kit gets it done. Here’s an example of what Kit can help you with
- SEO
- Product Discounts
- Recovering lost sales
- Automating your accounts and invoicing tasks
- Set up robust promotional campaigns
- So much more!
Action Items for Shopify Merchants
Analytics
- In Google Analytics check conversion rate by device
Tools
- Wishlist
- Email this link
- WhatsApp Share Button – Apparel
- Image Compression – Minifier App
360 Marketing View
- Klaviyo/Mailchimp
Customer Interview
- Offer a free product for a 30 minute interview
Conversational Commerce
- Integrate with FB Messenger
- Use Shopkey
The Presentation
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