The rapid rise of mobile commerce has revolutionized the way consumers shop. With a majority of online transactions now taking place on mobile devices, it is crucial for B2C ecommerce sites to understand and address the unique challenges faced by mobile users, particularly in the realm of product discovery. 

Product discovery plays a pivotal role in the mobile shopping experience. Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar stores, where customers can physically browse through aisles, mobile users rely heavily on effective product discovery features to navigate the vast digital marketplace.

For example, when the holiday season rolls around, you’ll want your visitors to immediately see topical product categories relevant to them. But how do you know whether to show Christmas lights and decorations, chocolates, or toys – or perhaps they are still in Halloween mode? In mobile, you have to get your recommendations spot-on.

In this blog post, we will explore the various challenges that mobile users encounter when trying to discover and explore products. You should ask yourself these questions to estimate whether your site meets the mobile users’ needs.

The abundance of options presented to mobile users can be overwhelming. Discount stores or consumer electronics vendors, for example, often offer a wide range of products and promotions, making it difficult for users to find the best deals. Additionally, the extensive assortment of products in various categories can make it challenging for mobile users to find specific items they are interested in.

Effective search functionality is crucial for mobile users to find the products they are looking for. However, certain verticals, such as hardware stores and automotive retailers, require complex search requirements. Mobile users may struggle to find products based on specific technical terms and compatibility details.

Similarly, searching for pharmaceutical products based on medical conditions or active ingredients can prove challenging due to the need for accurate recognition of medical terms.

One of the primary challenges in mobile product discovery is the limited screen real estate. Mobile users rely on smaller screens, which restricts their browsing options and can make it difficult to explore multiple product categories and subcategories. Additionally, displaying detailed product information, specifications, and compatibility details effectively on small screens can be a challenge.

Typing on a mobile device can be cumbersome, and mobile users may struggle with entering search queries and filtering options accurately. Challenges arising from autocorrect and predictive text can further hinder search accuracy. To mitigate these challenges, ecommerce sites can implement features such as autocomplete and smart form validation to enhance the user experience.

A crucial consideration for ecommerce sites is the need to cater to both mobile and desktop users. While a mobile-first approach is often prioritized, it is essential to balance the needs and preferences of users across all platforms. A comprehensive mobile strategy should incorporate responsive design and optimized product discovery features that seamlessly transition across different devices.

However, mobile-first approach, large images, and minimalist styling can lead to content dispersion and usability issues when the site is loaded on traditional desktop devices.

As mobile commerce continues to flourish, it is essential for businesses to future-proof their mobile strategies. Mobile users are navigating a complex product maze, hindered by challenges in choice overload, search relevance, limited screen space, and limited input capabilities. 

The good news is that you can overcome these challenges with a carefully crafted, AI-driven personalization strategy. To complement “traditional” product recommendations, you can now create a visually captivating search experience with personalized product collections. This allows you to provide your customers with immediate access to new and exciting product categories without having to perform a search. 

While product recommendations normally show individual products, collections provide visitors with a number of products selected based on their preferences. This is especially useful on – and designed for – mobile.

Check out the second part of the blog series to find out how you can supercharge your mobile strategy.