Among the many changes COVID-19 has brought about, one of the most significant has been how it’s altered the landscape of e-commerce. Practically overnight, customers’ behavioral patterns have changed.

Possibly for good.

The way businesses expect to conduct sales has done a complete turnabout. Today, it’s all about how traditional customers have become primarily online customers via mobile devices. Some businesses have handled this change better than others. It seems a major factor in whether or not a company survives a pandemic year is how well it adapts.

Here are five ways mobile commerce has changed thanks to the pandemic and its associated effects on society.

Mobile application use is increasing

Physical stores are catching up to what online businesses have known for a while.

Convenience sells.

While it’s great and all to be able to order online from your desktop computer, most consumers don’t have the patience to deal with firing up their desktops and web browsers. Smartphone apps are much more efficient and streamlined for making quick, convenient purchases.

While most box stores have had some form of an app or another, they were rarely any more reliable or easy to use than their desktop browsing counterparts.

That’s changed.

While physical stores very much relied on having warm bodies come to their locations, they realize that social distancing — whether mandated or not — will continue to be around in some form or another and that reduced-contact or contactless commerce will, likewise, linger.

If anything, the current pandemic forcing physical stores to catch up with online retailers in the area of efficient apps is not only long overdue but also one of their best chances of survival as businesses.

Mobile web optimization is expected

Not all businesses need an app. There are probably too many mobile apps for businesses out there already. A lot of mobile device users are going to balk at their screens filling up with an app for every store they’ve ever done business with.

That’s where mobile optimization comes in.

As CMS software improves, we’ve seen more options for previewing how a website displays itself on mobile devices. Take advantage of this and, when designing your website, pay as much attention — if not more — to how well it displays and functions on a smartphone and tablet.

Frequency of purchases are on the rise

As placing orders with stores — particularly the big box stores and grocery stores — becomes more effortless, people will hesitate less to place orders as they grow more confident in the system.

Demand rises, and supplies may be strained at times. Remember when you couldn’t find toilet paper to save your life? People are stocking up when they can and not waiting as long before replenishing or restocking basic supplies.

The easier it is to place an order for either pick-up or delivery, the more frequent the orders will occur.

Payment is easier — more streamlined and with more options

The ability to link a mobile app to a bank account, debit or credit card, or even online service such as PayPal means making a payment for a product or service is as quick as paying in cash — if not quicker. No checkout lines to stand in. No waiting for cashiers to remember to press the right buttons to get your payment processed. And you often have options as to how easy you want to make the process.

I recently made some Amazon purchases, donated to a good cause, and ordered fried chicken from a local place immediately. Combined, the process took less than a minute. Not once did I come into close proximity to another person outside.

You want customers to have options to make payment easy.

That means a process that doesn’t freeze or crash. A system of receipt and purchase notifications that do not hide any fees or other charges. And, most importantly, one that is as secure as you can make it. Whether or not consumers use all of their options to streamline their payment process is ultimately up to them, but you want them to have the ability to pay easily, quickly, and with confidence.

The consumer experience is more personalized

Want to reach Gen Z and all their money? Personalize the online shopping experience.

Shoppers today not only prefer an enhanced customer experience — even if it’s virtual — but they expect it. Whether they’re buying chicken nuggets or stocks, use customer data and browsing histories to target what the consumer likely wants.

Due to the pandemic and the 180-degree change in preferences and customer demands, leveraging user data for enhanced shopping is a trend that continues to grow.

Ignoring it is leaving money on the table. You only get to keep a customer on your online site for so long before they go looking for a more effortless, more streamlined experience. If you present your customers with what they want right at the outset, you’re doing better than your competitor.

A new world in commerce and marketing

As mobile commerce continues to steam ahead, retailers are advertisements more on social media and leading their customers directly to their sites and apps.

All it takes is a click.

That’s pretty much what a lot of this comes down to. Mobile commerce these days is all about the ease of clicking on something to get what you want and obtaining goods and services in an efficient but safe manner.

If you approach e-commerce and marketing with that in mind, you’re doing well and staying on top of the curve.