Thanks to the emergence of technology solutions and consumer adoption of digital devices, retailers now have a variety of channels on which to promote and sell their products. One of the most popular new forms that merchants are using is their websites, and these platforms are also making their way into the mobile realm, as shoppers are taking to their smartphones and tablets to browse for and buy merchandise. Although the technology is proving effective in terms of boosting sales and customer loyalty, there are still many things that retailers need to improve upon when it comes to their websites, especially when viewed on mobile devices.

Mobile sites need some work
Econsultancy reports that a study by EPiServer revealed that consumers find mobile retail websites increasingly difficult to navigate, which is influencing their purchasing decisions. The research found that 37 percent of respondents stated mobile sites are hard to view and use. This is higher than the 32 percent who said the same a year ago, the source notes.

Of the main problems patrons were having with mobile sites, slow loading times was the most common issue, with 49 percent of responses, followed by trouble with scrolling both horizontally and vertically (48 percent) and links that are hard to click due to their small size (35 percent).

If shoppers are having trouble effectively using retailers' websites through their mobile devices, this could be enough to turn them off from brands and instead turn to competitors to find the products and services they are looking for. In fact, EPiServer discovered that 38 percent of customers would stop using a site that was difficult to navigate, and ultimately they could decide to stop doing business with certain merchants altogether.

Effective strategies for successful retail websites
These findings should be enough to convince companies they need to up the ante on their website development maintenance. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to creating retail websites, there are strategies that merchants can follow to ensure their mobile sites are solid and help to boost sales.

MultiChannel Merchant recommends that businesses first conduct internal – and external, if possible – research to determine what their shoppers want from mobile sites. Taking problems and working quickly to fix them is one of the best ways to enhance mobile customers' experiences. In addition, the source notes that companies can optimize their sites to fit on smartphone and tablet screens, eliminating hard-to-read content and links that are too small.