Mobile Design

In an effort to make it simpler for consumers to simultaneously browse its print catalog and research and buy from their mobile devices, Sharper Image embedded a “Buy  Now” capability into its holiday preview catalog. The catalog is chock-full of electronic, recreation, fitness and travel products, and was sent to 4 million households and businesses on Nov. 4.

Global online retailer Modnique launched a responsive web design (RWD) version of its website this past September in an effort to optimize the experience of visitors using screen sizes as small as the iPhone and as large as 36-inch monitors. Here's a look at the brand's experience with RWD. 

Thanks to a variety of improvements, including streamlining the checkout process, Toys“R”Us was found to be the retailer that delivers the best mobile site user experience, according to a new report from the e-tailing group.

Retail has a reputation of being a bit behind other industries in mobile technology, but Lowe's is one of the exceptions. Its MyLowe's mobile app has been one of the highlights, called out by experts as one of the more exemplary tools available for retail consumers. Sean Bartlett, director of mobile strategy and platforms for Lowe's, spoke with eMarketer's Christine Bittar about the attributes of MyLowe's and its relevance in the home improvement category.

Similar to how everyone wanted a company website in 1995, today everybody wants an app. It's the gold rush of the 2010s and it certainly isn't slowing down anytime soon. For online retailers, a mobile app can mean big business. With an app, retailers are only one click away 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Their ubiquity is awesome, and some may even say a little scary. Apps completely alter the way consumers transact.

It's not for a tablet. That's what you should be thinking about when you're designing your tiny little product page, with its tiny real estate to work with on the tiny screen. "Tiny" is relevant here because you have an important internal decision to make, one that many other companies are dealing with right now with budgets, short-term tactical implementation and long-term strategy. Should you have different product pages for smartphones and tablets?

According to a recent survey conducted by Compuware, global consumers prefer native mobile apps over mobile websites, primarily because native apps are perceived as being more convenient, faster and easier to navigate. However, if a mobile app fails to work fast and reliably the first time, up to 79 percent of end users will retry it only once or twice before giving up on the app. It's quite clear that users won't tolerate problematic mobile apps.