#mobile commerce

#mobile commerce

When Starbucks opened its first store in Beijing in 1999, it wasn't just selling coffee; it was selling Western aspirations to China's rising middle class. The Seattle-based giant expanded rapidly to dominate China's premium coffee scene. That early-mover advantage has, however, since eroded. Chinese competitors like Luckin Coffee and Manner have overtaken Starbucks in store count and captured market share, thanks to aggressive pricing, mobile integration and a sharper understanding of Chinese consumer habits.

Retailers have a narrow window to capture peak holiday demand and an even narrower margin for error. This year, that margin will be tested more than ever: Adobe expects U.S. consumers to spend $253.4 billion online between November 1 and December 31, with mobile driving the majority of visits and accounting for more than half of the spend. That surge creates opportunity - that is, if shoppers can actually complete a purchase.

Retailers obsess over traffic and promotional strategy, but holiday performance ultimately comes down to how many shoppers make it from product page to cart to confirmation. Baymard Institute reported that 70% of shopping carts are abandoned, representing billions in lost revenue each year. In normal weeks, that's painful. During Cyber Week and the weekends that follow, it's revenue walking out the virtual door.