The contemporary shopper does not wait to be at home before he/she goes shopping. They are comparing prices on the bus stop, reading reviews during lunch, and they are making their purchase choices when they are standing in line waiting to get coffee. Unless you mobile-optimize your product catalog, you are not able to attract a huge portion of potential customers who are primed and ready to purchase at the moment. Mobile commerce is not only increasing, it is taking over. However, the reality is that many companies continue to use stagnant PDFs or desktop only catalogs, which are annoying to mobile users and send them to competitors. Product catalog software makes the game interesting since it develops digital catalogs tailored to the mobile browsing.
These tools make the conventional product listing dynamic and interactive and will be user-friendly and operate well with Smartphones and tablets.
The Reason Mobile-Friendly Catalogs Are More Important Than Ever.
Plain PDF & conventional print catalogs no longer cut it. They are hard to use on small screens, slow to load and can never be updated in real time. A potential customer will more likely quit and shop in a different place where he or she will only need to pinch and zoom and scroll and scroll to see your products.
The solution to these issues is mobile-friendly digital catalogs that will automatically change their size depending on the size of the screen. The visual images of the products are clear and the text is clear without having to strain by zooming in and the navigation is user-friendly with touch-friendly buttons and menu lists. Customers can locate their desired item, make a comparison, and proceed to buying it without any hassles.
The advantages are not just limited to the usability. Online catalogs can have those characteristics that cannot be provided in print: videos of products in action, reviews and ratings by customers, real-time inventory indicators, and direct purchasing links. These interactive features make passive browsing active and keep the shoppers engaged and bring them nearer to conversion.
The Critical Characteristics of successful Product Catalog Software
Responsive Design
Responsive design makes sure that your catalog is professional and works well on all the devices, including the smallest smartphone as well as the biggest tablet. The design will automatically resize and the images will re-size in the same proportion and the navigation will re-align itself into the best usability levels. You have this flexibility to have a single catalog that can be used by all users instead of developing different versions to suit different devices.
Fast Loading Times
Shoppers on mobile are not tolerant. Studies indicate that half of the users of mobile devices leave websites that load in more than three seconds. Quality catalog applications optimize images, employ efficient code and cashing networks to make sure that pages will load fast even with slower mobile connections. Fast performance maintains the interest of the shoppers and minimizes the bouncing rate.
Intuitive Navigation
There is limited space in mobile screens and smart navigation is a necessary feature. The most desirable catalog software is one that will have the ability to search by using a predictive text, has options to filter the results and have the results narrowed at a glance and the classes are well organized. The user must only need to scroll through a few taps to be able to locate a certain product and not a long scroll.
Touch-Friendly Interface
Customers do not use the mouse when interacting with mobile devices. Good catalog software has buttons and other interactive items that are appropriately sized to be used by fingers, has sufficient spacing between items to avoid mis-taps, as well as gestures such as swiping to flip through product pictures. These design features enable one to browse the site in a natural manner and minimize frustration caused by the site.
Offline Access Capability
All shoppers are not always connected to the internet. There are also catalog software which permits a person to download the catalogs to view them later in some other time, such as on an airplane flight or in a place with low connection. This aspect will make sure that your products are always available whether you are connected or not.
The way Digital Catalogs bring Real Business Results
Mobile-friendly product catalogs have many benefits beyond convenience. They have a direct effect on your bottom line, as they can be quantified in terms of improvements in customer behavior and performance in sales.
The engagement rates in businesses that use the digital catalog software are usually higher than the traditional catalogs. Customers take a longer time to window shop, look at more merchandise and repeat visits. The digital catalog is interactive, which facilitates exploration, and store functions, such as favorites and wish list, attract customers to revisit it.
Mobile optimization has a great effect on conversion rates. Once they can easily see products, read in-depth information, and make purchases without changing devices or unpleasant user interfaces, then the shoppers will experience more chances to stick to their purchase decision. The eased tension of the shopping process is directly translated to the sale.
Print versions could never give good analytics that digital catalogs could offer. You will be able to monitor products that are the most interesting, the time spent by the shopper on particular pages, and where they lose interest in the search and the most used feature. These insights can assist in refining your catalog, optimizing product placement and make an informed decision based on the data about the inventory and marketing.
Another key advantage is cost savings. Digital catalogs eradicate printing and distribution costs and also provide immediate updates. Modify a price, introduce new products or correct errors instantly without having to reprint thousands of catalogs. This is flexible and you are able to react fast to the changes in the market and keep the right information.
Conclusion
The mobile commerce will continue to gain strength as the functions of the smartphone rise and the shopping habits transform. Companies that adopt mobile-friendly product portal are now in a position to take advantage of this growing market and establish a long lasting partnership with the on the go shoppers.
The quality product catalog software is justified based on the better customer experiences, growth in sales, and operational efficiencies. Competitors, having to contend with old catalogs that confuse mobile users, your interacting responsive catalog will be a competitive edge that draws and keeps customers.
The question is not whether mobile-friendly catalogs are important, it is whether you can afford to miss the shoppers that are about to make purchases at any place and location they are in this very moment.
A fine software program that you can try for free for 15 days is PageTurnPro product catalog software.
