Argos, a leading retailer in the United Kingdom, has been reporting impressive results from the mobile commerce sector. The retailer has been working to become more engaging with mobile consumers in recent years, hoping to offer better services to those tethered to mobile devices. This has become quite common throughout the retail industry. Many companies are eager to engage consumers in new ways, embracing mobile commerce and new marketing initiatives in order to adapt to changes in technology and the shopping habits of consumers.
Argos has seen its mobile sales more than double during the first half of its fiscal year, rising by 16%. Approximately 43% of the entirety of the retailer’s sales were made online. While the majority of sales were made from traditional computers, sales made through tablets and smartphones grew by 124%. The retailer’s multichannel sales now account for nearly $1 billion, with mobile commerce making up a sizeable portion of that total.
The retailer is currently undergoing something of a digital transformation. Argos has taken note of the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets among shoppers and has been working to grow more accommodating to the needs of these consumers. In the future, many people are likely to shop from their mobile devices rather than visit physical stores. While this has caused some concern among retailers, companies like Argos are taking a proactive approach to the issue, establishing strong online presences in order to remain relevant with consumers.
Mobile commerce has proven to be beneficial to Argos, but other retailers have not fared as well in their mobile endeavors. One of the greatest challenges currently facing retailers has to do with their websites. Most retail sites are not optimized to be used from a mobile device. This leaves many consumers with a poor experience, making it unlikely for these consumers to participate in any mobile commerce ventures coming from these retailers in the future.