eCommerce vs mCommerce

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eCommerce vs mCommerce

eCommerce and mCommerce are the buzzing terms that every retailer and consumer seems to be gushing about. And of course, both concepts are all about purchasing products online seamlessly. Today almost every small, medium and large-scale business is showcasing its presence online very subtly. And that’s where this eCommerce vs. mCommerce concept comes into existence. 

With the rise in the era of digitalization, both retailers as well as consumers, have started praising the high-speed mobile connectivity and convenience of purchasing their favorite apparel, accessories, and groceries online. The digital retail landscape seems to be growing at a fanatic pace, all thanks to eCommerce development companies like these that have a knack for carrying expertise and being ahead of time. Developing scalable and future-ready online platforms is no biggie and comprises a skilled and resourceful team of experts. The following post focuses on eCommerce and mCommerce and how both the terms are different from each other. 

eCommerce vs mCommerce

So what exactly are eCommerce and mCommerce? eCommerce or Electronic Commerce is a process of buying and selling products over the internet. Back in 1994, the term was coined in Philadelphia. During that time, eCommerce purchases were made using mostly your computing devices such as laptops, desktops, or tablets. One of the most popular names to take into account here is Amazon. 

With lots and lots of commodities sold here, Amazon is known worldwide as one of the leading eCommerce platforms. However, many believe eCommerce is just for buying or selling digital products. Well, not; it does involve memberships or any services, etc. On the other hand, commerce mainly refers to making online payment transactions using mobile devices. No matter how different these terms are, both focus on making customers’ lives way easier and better. In other words, mCommerce can be highly considered a sub-category or a subset of eCommerce. 

Today mobile devices and mobile apps are quite a rage. It may quite interest you to know that revenue gained by mobile is expected to hit $434.24 million in a few years. Some of the popular examples of eCommerce include – Amazon, Flipkart, Alibaba, and OLX, whereas some of the crucial examples of mCommerce sites include Paytm, Amazon mobile app, etc. 

Further below, it is mentioned how both eCommerce and mCommerce benefit businesses.       

How is eCommerce Beneficial to Businesses across the Globe?

#1 Quick Buying Processes

One of the most obvious yet crucial advantages of developing an eCommerce store is you can offer a quick buying process to your end users. Today, it is impossible for anyone to spend hours and hours visiting stores and coming out with nothing. So quick buying is something that’s pretty much in vogue these days. eCommerce is a sure-shot way to easily browse for their favorite product whenever and wherever they feel like and buy at their convenience. 

By using relevant eCommerce platforms, shoppers can easily look for an item online and buy it within a few minutes. 

#2 Cost-Effective Solutions

Another advantage of considering eCommerce for businesses is that it is one of the most cost-effective solutions. I mean, here, businesses no longer have to pay extra any kind of upfront cost such as rentals or repairs or taking care of any store inventories, etc. But, at the same time, sellers cannot receive desired profits. 

By having a successful eCommerce store, sellers can reduce the overall cost spent on creating a physical one. In addition to such upfront expenses, sellers no longer have to waste time and money on promoting items. For example, Amazon does offer some advertising tools where sellers can easily add relevant product images, videos, and good-quality images to compel customers to buy the product.   

#3 Flexibility

Another interesting advantage of considering eCommerce is flexibility. One of the best aspects of any eCommerce store is its availability 24/7. As a result, both buyers and sellers have the flexibility to conduct transactions at any point in time. Flexibility is one of the crucial reasons why more and more people, irrespective of their location, are likely to purchase. And not to mention, once buyers gain trust, nothing can stop your store from succeeding.  

Now moving on further, how mCommerce is beneficial for businesses and customers. 

How is mCommerce Beneficial To Businesses? 

Having a well-optimized mobile site or application is quite beneficial. Right from enhanced customer experiences to sudden increase in conversions, reduced cart abandonment, and so forth, the benefits offered by mCommerce are many. 

#1 Wide Reach

One of the obvious benefits of mCommerce is that you get a wider reach. Smartphones are brewing up everywhere. More and more people are willing to make things work using their smartphone devices instead of any other computing devices such as laptops, tablets, or desktops. So, in other words, every person who owns a smartphone can be your potential customer. With mCommerce, you get to target a large user base at once.  

To access your products or services, customers no longer have to walk miles and miles to your brick-and-mortar store. Downloading the app and getting started with it is more than enough! 

#2 Insightful Analytics

Another crucial advantage of mCommerce stores is that these platforms have the potential to provide businesses with relevant insights from time to time. From the customer’s name to where they reside, buying history, and email, every small detail can be gathered, stored, and then analyzed with the help of relevant mobile software. 

All such insights and analytics can be used in the decision-making process. For example, in what regions do you need to increase customer-level personalization? Also, the obtained data will better understand your target audiences and how you can enhance your end user’s buying experience. 

#3 Unseen Marketing Opportunities

Another interesting benefit achieved from mCommerce is you get to seek unseen and numerous marketing opportunities. As soon as you start monitoring the traffic and conducting relevant data analytics, you will be able to create relevant opportunities and develop different ways to spike the interest of consumers. Wondering how? 

    • mCommerce enables your target audience to reach you directly  
    • With the help of social media platforms, ask your end users to spread the word for you! 
    • Try to earn more by placing ads within the app.

Now here comes the crucial part, how is eCommerce different from mCommerce? Though both can offer wider target audiences, enhance user experience, offer flexibility, and create marketing opportunities like never before, where does the difference lie? 

Spotting the Difference Between eCommerce vs. mCommerce

For those planning to create a successful online presence, you might have heard of these concepts – eCommerce and mCommerce before. However, knowing them is not enough; one must know where the difference lies. Doing so will give you better access to market insights, demographics, etc. 

Factors eCommerce mCommerce
Define Electronic Commerce – Where products are purchased and sold online. Mobile Commerce – Where products are purchased and sold using mobile devices. 
Inception 1970 1990
Examples Amazon, Flipkart, OLX  Paytm, in-app purchases Amazon Mobile App
Capabilities Limited tracking capabilities Easy to identify user location, GPS, and WiFi facilities
Activities To conduct successful activities, the internet is mandatory Activities can also be conducted offline. 

#1 Mobility 

Keeping mobility in mind, you see most of the eCommerce transactions are done using the internet. Now usually, what happens is that eCommerce platforms are used on computing devices such as desktops or laptops. Nowadays, traveling with desktops and laptops is pretty next to impossible. Whereas it is pretty easy to carry mobile devices. So yes, when it comes to high-end mobility, mCommerce works wonders compared to eCommerce platforms. Here customers don’t have to use plastic cards to make payments; your mobile wallet, such as Google pay or Paytm, is more than enough.   

#2 Security

The next aspect that must be taken into consideration is security. With so many security breaches happening now and then, both eCommerce and mCommerce service providers need to consider this aspect. Credit cards, one of the most common yet crucial forms of payment, must be safeguarded now and then. After all, you are not sending your credit card information over the internet just to get screwed or ripped. Now speaking in regards to security, mobile commerce seems to be a bit more extensive than eCommerce. Also, not to mention it comprises two-way authentication, multi-level security, or biometric authentication.

#3 Tracking

The next aspect that must be taken into consideration is location tracking. Do you know what metrics are being used to track eCommerce shoppers? It’s their IP addresses. Whereas, with mCommerce different locations can be tracked via GPS, WiFi, or using any other cellular connections. With the location’s help, retailers get alerts on whether their end users are nearby. 

Conclusion – eCommerce vs mCommerce

Both eCommerce and mCommerce are commendable concepts, especially if you want to succeed in today’s ever-changing digital era and technological shifts. After going through the post, you know exactly which one is better and to what extent. Trends are changing, and ignoring them is not an option. So in such a case, all you can do is ride the wave! If you already have an eCommerce store and are willing to go beyond, consider having a mobile presence. Try to get in touch with one of the finest mobile app development companies who have the expertise in delivering a solution that has the potential to offer a great mobile shopping experience. 

Hoping this blog made you clear regarding what needs to be done to stay competitive and relevant in today’s changing market. If you still have any doubts or queries, feel free to mention that in the comment section below.

eCommerce vs mCommerce

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