1. Mobile Commerce Primer:
Mobile Sites vs. Apps vs. Responsive Design

2. Mobile Commerce Primer
It’s become imperative to reach consumers seamlessly
across devices and channels. Why?
+ 2012 U.S. mobile sales: $17.1 billion (est.*)
+ 2015 U.S. mobile sales: $31 billion (est.)
+ By 2016, 7% of all e-commerce transactions will be conducted via
mobile
+ Average Order Value and conversion rates are higher for tablet
users than desktop users
+ Mobile-connected devices will exceed the world’s population by
2013
*Data courtesy Forrester Research Inc., Internet Retailer, ComScore

3. Mobile Commerce Primer
Why don’t desktop sites function correctly on mobile
devices?
+ Smartphones and tablets emulate desktop browsers by default
+ Rendering websites in full-page view requires users to constantly
zoom and scroll to interact with the site
+ Some site functionality can also be lost on mobile devices
The result is a choppy, disjointed user experience that is particularly
undesirable in the conversion-focused e-commerce space.

4. Mobile Commerce Primer
Desktop Sites on Mobile Screens

5. Mobile Commerce Primer
There are currently 3 primary approaches to targeting the
mobile consumer:
+ Separate, mobile-specific sites
+ Apps for smartphones and tablets
+ Responsive Design

6. Mobile Commerce Primer
What are Mobile Websites?
+ Often referred to as “M-dot” sites (i.e. m.brandname.com)
+ Use a separate design/development instance geared to mobile
devices
+ Mobile sites display effectively on the mobile devices for which they
are created

7. Mobile Commerce Primer
Mobile Websites

8. Mobile Commerce Primer
Mobile Websites
Pros Cons
+ Improved performance on (some) + Separate design and development
mobile devices costs
+ Mobile-specific design + Ongoing maintenance, content
+ Good for specific functional uses creation, etc., in addition to
(e.g. store locator) primary site tasks
+ Stripped-down user interface and
content
+ Negative SEO implications
+ Device limitations – mobile
designed for smartphones function
poorly on tablets
+ Non-compatible with emerging
device types

9. Mobile Commerce Primer
Apps (Smartphone and Tablet)
+ Made ubiquitous with the launch of the iPhone in 2007
+ Enable seamless functionality within the device
+ Splintered market (Apple iOS, Android, Windows 8)
+ Require separate app instances for smartphone/tablet users
Worldwide market share Q1 2012 (Source Mobile
Statistics)

10. Mobile Commerce Primer
Apps (Smartphone and Tablet)

11. Mobile Commerce Primer
Smartphone Apps
Pros Cons
+ Device-specific design + Multiple design and
+ Ability to access device development costs (iOS, Android,
etc.)
functionality (i.e. camera,
+ Separate maintenance and
contact list) content needs
+ Ability to create a targeted user + Frequent updates required
experience + Low adoption – 80% of branded
smartphone apps are downloaded less
than 1000 times*
+ Low repeat usage – 60% of
downloaded apps are used less than 5
times*
+ Over-crowded marketplaces
*Via Deloitte & Touche; Loyalytics

12. Mobile Commerce Primer
Responsive Design
+ Presents a new approach to website design and development
+ First appeared in the 2010 book Responsive Web Design by Ethan
Marcotte
+ Uses a modular approach to design and development, leveraging
CSS3 and media queries

13. Mobile Commerce Primer
Responsive Design (cont’d)
+ Responsive sites “survey” the destination device, reorganizing and
displaying site content, and altering functionality, accordingly
+ Allows for a single set of URLs across digital channels, which
provide numerous SEO benefits
+ This approach works across devices, from smartphones and tablets
to the largest web-enabled TVs

14. Mobile Commerce Primer
Responsive Design

15. Mobile Commerce Primer
Responsive Design
Pros Cons
+ Requires a single + Initial development costs and
design/development instance timeframe higher than a
+ 1 set of content (text, images, standalone website
product catalog) across devices + Potential page load performance
+ Future-proof for new devices issues on slower networks
+ Numerous SEO and social sharing
advantages
+ Endorsed by Google (preferred
method for mobile development)
+ Initial costs offset by lower lifetime
maintenance costs
+ Enables context-based design and
functionality
+ Continually evolving framework

16. Mobile Commerce Primer
Conclusions
+ For true multichannel, multi-device engagement, responsive design offers
numerous advantages over other current solutions.
+ We fully recommend responsive design over alternative mobile strategies.
+ The future of responsive design will open the door to “context-based” site
functionality.
+ Apps can be a viable solution in certain situations. Specifically, large
retailers/brand manufacturers with sufficient resources, who are looking to
push the experience envelope.
+ Mobile-specific site development has limited benefits in niche use cases.
We believe this strategy will be further marginalized as responsive design
becomes more mainstream. Still, it is preferable to ignoring the mobile
channel.
+To see responsive design in action, visit adapt.gorillagroup.com