MOBILE APPLICATIONS AND HOW THEY PROMOTE E-COMMERCE. BY POPOOLA KAZEEM

BY POPOOLA KAZEEM

E-commerce, also known as electronic commerce, refers to trading involving the use of the internet. E-commerce makes us of platforms such as online marketing, internet transactions and data management systems. E-commerce greatly enhances business to business (B2B) transactions and ensures increased satisfaction for the end users. The advent of e-commerce dates several decades back and ever since inception, it has continued to make great impacts towards improving businesses across various platforms via the internet. E-commerce has brought transactions much closer to the consumers who find it difficult hitherto to create time for buy and selling thanks to their busy schedules. And with the improved level of trust built over years, e-commerce has earned for itself absolute trust of the consumers.

Mobile applications (otherwise called mobile apps) refer to series of computer programs that are designed to run on smart mobile phones and tablets. Smart mobile phones that are in use today usually contain several mobile applications already preinstalled on them. Apart from these, mobile phone users also have the opportunity to download and install several other applications through distribution platforms that are provided by the developers of these mobile phones. Mobile applications are one-stop point for installing applications on phones. These applications serve a number of purposes and bring services closer to mobile phone users. Mobile phone applications also increase the satisfactions enjoyed by the users. 

Before now, e-commerce has been strictly restricted to the limited channels provided by the e-commerce institutions. This implies that until now, internet users log on to World Wide Web addresses of their choice before transactions can be conducted. This option although serves some the demands of internet users, takes longer amount of time because a consumer will pass the hurdles of completely surfing all information on the client website before having to conduct any transaction. This does not completely offer a 100percent time saving system. 

However the advent of smart mobile phone applications has addressed these growing concerns. Programmers have developed mobile phone applications for e-commerce stores where clients can access and conduct all transactions with ease. All a user needs is to download and install the particular mobile applications designated for that purpose by the e-commerce store. Once this is done, the mobile application remains on the client’s phone and can be accessed by the client at any time of the day. These mobile applications have all the features that are available on the e-commerce website hence allowing users to carry out all necessary transactions. The client can also make payments for their goods and services via these mobile applications. These payment channels are very secured, fraud-proof and easy to use. There also dedicated platforms where users can report any instance where they encounter difficulties on these mobile applications and there are sections for reviews and customer feedbacks all in a bid to ensure that the best services are offered via these applications. 

Despite these aforementioned opportunities provided by smart phones mobile applications, a large number of trading outlets are still not making use of the mobile apps channels. This is largely due to a low awareness level especially in developing countries where technologies and information dissemination systems are still evolving. In those parts of the world, technology is still at a lag phase and most internet users are completely unaware of the latest trends in technology due lack of a proper access to these trends. There is also a high level of user apathies to new technological innovations stemming from local beliefs and high level of illiteracy prevalent within the population.

Conclusively, a great deal of work still has to be done towards improving the present status of mobile phone applications. Programmers must continue to develop user-friendly, time efficient applications while e-commerce stores must continue to raise awareness about their mobile phone apps channels to their clients. Efficient feedback must also be provided for prompt response to customers complaints. In addition, improvements must be made to the existing payment channels available on these apps. Store administrators must ensure safety of personal information provided by the users which may include details of their bank and credit cards information as well as other confidential information. 

The sky is definitely the starting point for e-commerce stores that embrace smart mobile phone application systems for their businesses.