How Apple Messages for Business Enables Ecommerce Brands to Boost Sales

A term many may not have come across is m-commerce, or mobile e-commerce. Today,  most people’s smartphones are essentially an extension of their hands. On average, we spend around 3 hrs 15 minutes a day using them. So, it’s no surprise that Business Insider is forecasting in the US m-commerce will account for $488bn, or 44% of online sales by 2024.

With Apple boasting more than 1.5bn monthly active devices on iOS, Apple Messages for Business is perfectly placed for brands to capitalize on the increased popularity of mobile commerce. From product recommendation and discovery, to recurring orders, Apple Messages for Business provides brands with a platform to showcase their products across the customer lifecycle and keep the entire brand/consumer relationship within the same channel.

3 Ways Apple Messages for Business Tools Can Help You Boost Sales

1. Seamless and safe purchase flows

Historically, mobile purchases have suffered poor conversion rates (2.25% compared to 4.81% for desktop) because customers were frustrated with the experience of checking out on a small screen, particularly on websites not optimised for mobile. Most sites are now designed to work on phones or tablets, but customers still need to fill in the name, address and payment fields every time.

These issues don’t exist with private messaging channels like Apple Messages for Business. Apple’s Pickers function offers visually appealing and easily navigable shopping experiences. A new customer’s journey can begin with Chat Suggest, deflecting them from a high intent web search to a messaging conversation. For existing customers, using the Notify platform allows for bespoke proactive engagement on new products or offering the chance to reorder a favorite item. Both journeys end up at the same place: browsing products in a visually appealing and easy-to-use system that allows consumers to purchase in-channel using Apple Pay, and keeps them updated throughout the delivery process (and beyond).

2. 58% of smartphone users will make a purchase if it can be done quickly

Think of how little patience you have if an app or website is taking ages to load. With m-commerce in messaging apps, speed and ease of use are built into the experience. Having as few steps as possible between a customer seeing something they want and being able to buy it is essential to pushing conversion rates and boosting sales. It’s why Amazon’s patented its ‘one-click purchase’ system – the ultimate in convenience shopping.

58% of people are more likely to make mobile purchases if that means a frictionless buying process. By using Apple Messages for Business as the channel for the entire buyer journey, the need to fill in delivery or payment details is removed, and the whole process becomes quicker and easier than most other experiences.

What’s more, having access buy intent insights that Conversocial’s platform provides, re-engaging current customers over Apple Messages for Business can also yield excellent results. 61% of mobile users say customized product offerings based on their previous purchases make them more likely to buy from E-commerce brands. It’s what channels like Apple Messages for Business were designed for.

3. Augmented reality has a 94% conversion rate

Augmented reality (AR) in retail is expected to be worth around $80bn by 2022. It’s a feature within Apple Messages for Business that can bring an additional element to the online buying experience which is likely to boost sales. For brands in the furniture, beauty or retail spaces, AR offers a more realistic shopping experience, and according to Shopify, offers a conversion rate 94% higher than products without AR experiences. There’s also the possibility of changing shopper intent through AR – 40% of people are willing to pay more for a product if they can experience it through AR, and it has sparked an impulse buy in 77% of shoppers who’ve used it.

Overall, the mobile shopping experience has improved greatly thanks to private messaging channels. Consumers are no longer frustrated by websites unsuitable for small screen shopping or the multiple webpage experience that come with normal checkouts. Platforms like Apple Messages for Business are optimized for user experience; designed for a frictionless journey through the buying process, offering effortless and personalized engagement across the entire lifecycle.