For all businesses, website optimization for mobile devices is important. Many people start their research for products and services online, and for a significant portion of Americans, smartphones and tablets are their gateways to the Internet.

However, when it comes to the retail industry, having an unoptimized website can be an absolute game breaker. When people browse retail sites, they do not simply find the items they want to buy and leave. Much like the average person’s in-store behavior, they may check out a few different products and see what a merchant has to offer. If the mobile website is not fine-tuned for the smaller screens and lesser processing power of smartphones and tablets, consumers may simply back out of websites and head to a competing merchant.

The future of mobile commerce does not allow for poor handheld shopping experiences

Mobile is still a relatively nascent channel. Devices such as smartphones and tablets have only really become mainstream in the last couple of years, which is why some retailers have been slow to embrace these devices as dedicated shopping tools.

With more dollars being spent via mobile channels, retailers are running into increasingly less leeway when it comes to their mobile sites. Right now, a subpar mobile shopping experience is detrimental, but some merchants may be able to get away with it. In just a few years, however, a significant chunk of online shopping dollars are expected to be spent via mobile devices. Citing data from eMarketer, The New York Times reported that mobile channels will account for approximately one-quarter of total retail dollars by 2016.

Merchants need to ensure their websites work on all devices, whether desktop computers, smartphones, or tablets.