M&S Mobile Site Delivers the Goods

UK retailer Marks & Spencer launched its m-commerce-enabled mobile internet site on 12 May 2010. M&S worked with Mobile Interactive Group (MIG) for consultancy on the user experience, design and functionality for the launch of its first m-commerce site, in partnership with Usablenet.

The site was designed to extend the Marks & Spencer brand onto the mobile channel, to create another direct communications channel with consumers and to enable consumers to access all product lines on the move. The site has a clear, simple, effective design which presents the user with a quick route to access their desired product.

To date the site has delivered some impressive results, outstripping initial targets. Since launch, it has attracted 1.2m unique visitors, and generated more than 10m page views. The site has take more than 13,000 orders, for goods ranging from TVs to sofas and clothes. The largest single order was for £3,280, for two sofas. The most popular devices used to access the site are the iPhone, followed by Android devices.

Consultancy for the development of the site between M&S and MIG, in conjunction with Usablenet, began in early April this year, and took a phased approach. The first phase was ‘Discover and Definition’, moving through to ‘Concept Look and Feel’; ‘Design Refinement and Approval’; and finally, ‘Making sure the site works on Multiple Handsets’. 
Features on the site include a store finder to locate the user’s nearest outlet; the ability to search by product type and then to refine these searches to a specific item; and to register account information. The site boasts a full product range, including women’s, men’s and kids’ clothing, home and furniture, technology and more.

“We approached MIG because of their success in the retail space, their capabilities in delivering great mobile campaigns, and for their in-depth understanding of the mobile consumer experience,” says M&S social and mobile commerce development manager, Sienne Veit. “For M&S, the m-commerce site is all about getting product quickly and easily to consumers via mobile and paying for their product on their mobile device. Our aim is to integrate mobile as a channel to stand alongside web, phone and shops...to increase basket size and drive sales. We’ve also incorporated a customer feedback facility to enable customer reviews, (and) we’ve also given consumers a choice of delivery method.”

Mobile internet is set to outstrip the traditional web by 2013, therefore it is key for retail brands like Marks & Spencer to realise its true potential and to offer mobile as a core purchasing channel for customers, MIG believes.
The M&S m-commerce site can be accessed via any web-enabled phone, with users who type in the normal website URL automatically redirected to the mobile version of the site. Alternatively, the user can type in the URL for the mobile site: m.marksandspencer.com

MIG is running an interactive webinar focussing on how to implement a mobile strategy in Retail on Wednesday, 5 October at 9am. The webinare is in partnership with the IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group) and will give participants the opportunity to put their questions to Sienne Veit, and Tim Dunn, director of strategy at MIG.

You can register for the webinar here.