• by David King , February 3, 2009

With the proliferation of high-speed networks and mobile devices like the iPhone and G1 that are capable of using this bandwidth, e-tailers are recognizing that an increasing number of consumers are using Web sites for shopping from mobile devices. In fact, some people are now using their mobile devices for their primary online browser.

Any retailer looking to the growing mobile audience for new revenue should deliver shopping sites that are mobile friendly. This means paring back content -- or re-organizing it -- so that users can access relevant items more easily.

While wireless devices have come a long way, their screen size limits what can be displayed and still be read by the average user. Features such as panning and zooming can only compensate so much for the smaller real estate available on handhelds.

Most Web sites are still using cascading style sheets (CSS) optimized for personal computers. Designing and embedding CSS specifically for mobile users will help ensure that the user experience on handheld devices is of high quality. The CSS Mobile Profile 2.0 developed by the W3C (the standard-setting World Wide Web Consortium) is now available, giving retailers a widely supported standard to follow.

Other common shopping features, such as large tables of product images and Flash animation, also need to be rethought. Just a decade ago, many Web sites were built successfully without these features. As screen resolutions and bandwidth grew, these were added to create richer online experiences.

Handheld devices may not support all of these technologies, so the emphasis should be placed on simplicity, clarity and speed. And make sure that commonly accessed features, such as viewing the shopping cart are readily reachable.

While the technical aspects of mobile are important to consider, retailers must also focus on marketing fundamentals, such as understanding the needs of this changing audience. Research and analysis on what users want and how they want to interact with your site are critical. One quick tip: Use the mobile device itself to gather research information, rather than relying solely on traditional research channels.

Retailers that can use messaging, Web content, email, and social networking in an integrated fashion and centered on the handheld device, let users engage with their brands. A basic practice: Rather than just asking for email addresses on your sites, permit users to give you addresses for text messages as well, and let them know about special mobile content. One last piece of advice: Do not let mobile marketing become a new outlet for spam. Mobile devices give unprecedented access to retail customers; respecting your customers' time will lead to longer, two-way relationships.