Live Area&Attraqt - Online Shopping: Know your customer

Whilst customers are on your site, it's important to understand their behaviour and intent in order to respond in that moment in a way that supports how they discover your products, and gain an affinity with your brand.

If you aren't set up for mobile, you're missing out

Firstly, you need to be aware of what device your customer is using. A recent study shows that 55% web traffic comes from mobile devices, and 42% from desktop, so it's worth digging into your own analytics to see how you match up. Last year's holiday season saw a third of all online purchases being made through mobile devices. If your website still isn't set up for mobile browsing, you're giving over half of your visitors an inferior online experience. When a customer notices that an experience isn't catered to them, they are more likely to leave and browse elsewhere, especially if they are in the early, exploratory stages of their buying journey. Inferior online experience gives the impression of inferior products, and no one wants that.

On the other hand, if your customer is sitting at a computer or laptop, it's likely they're focused and have a high intent to make a purchase, with order values being higher overall for desktop than other devices. The searches they are making are likely to be more detailed, and their attention to the task more focused. Using a desktop may also mean it is an older consumer, who is more familiar with shopping at a desktop. This can alter the way they use your website and for these customers especially, you want your interfaces to be clear and easy to use.