This award is made to the outstanding individual or team who are able to demonstrate the realisation of their entrepreneurial vision in the establishment and development of a successful business.

Purpose Media’s MD Matt Wheatcroft said “We have always recognised the value in entrepreneurial vision and are firm believers that a business needs to plan for success and work hard to bring their plans to fruition. We are now working towards our own goal of £1m turnover by the end of 2012.”

If your organisation, or one you know, has an entrepreneurial vision and a plan for success, then go to www.2020businessawards.co.uk to enter or nominate them now.

Etailing trade association the IMRG predicts that consumers will spend £186.5m online on December 25, getting to bargains before the queues build up for the traditional Boxing Day sales. The following day, spenders will be out in force online as well as in the high street. IMRG predicts they will spend almost twice as much as on Christmas Day, parting with some £367.8m. If both estimates are realised, shoppers will spend 12% more than they did last year.

David J Smith, chief marketing and communications officer at IMRG, said: “The amount of money consumers spend online every Christmas Day is continuing to show double-digit growth. When you consider that the growth for the same day in 2010 was 26%, the increase is the more impressive as it is coming from a very high base.

“Although shopping on Christmas Day might not appear to quite be in the Christmas spirit, it is worth considering that many of these sales could actually be associated with popular gifts people have received, such as downloadable content for MP3 players and Kindles.”

The predicted rise in Christmas Day online shopping comes as people are expected to be using the internet both through desktops and mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. Last Christmas Day, the figures show Facebook had more site visits than Google as people logged on to wish friends a Merry Christmas.

Over 200 agencies who specialise in providing digital and social media services to their clients were invited to participate in the event which took place in Shoreditch Town Hall (London) on 25th November 2011.

Matt was shown the latest techniques to use with Google AdWords Express, Google +, Insights, Tracking, Measurement and Driving Conversions to ensure Purpose are at the top of our game when providing advice and services to our clients.

iPad conversion rates are double that of desktop, and almost twice as high as other mobile devices, according to stats that show the value of tablet users for online retailers.

According to stats from Affiliate Window’s M-commerce white paper, the average conversion rate for iPad was 3.82% in August, compared to 1.9% for desktop (i.e. non-mobile).

The stats suggest that retailers need to optimise their websites to take full advantage of iPad shoppers.

About the data

The data here is taken from Affiliate Window’s advertiser network, and there is a lot of it. In August, the stats cover 81.9m visits to merchants and 1.57m sales.

The stats don’t cover in-app purchases, except in cases where the customer is taken out of the app to complete the transaction on a website.

This is affiliate traffic we are looking at, so there may be some differences between that and ‘normal’ web traffic, but the data is still revealing, and shows the growing importance of mobile and tablets for e-commerce.

According to Affiliate Window’s Matt Swan:

” The traffic that we are measuring is just traffic that has come through affiliate partners so it will be lower than ‘general’ web traffic volumes. There are a wide range of affiliate promotional types so this could be traffic that has come through a price comparison site or a voucher code site for example. The amount of traffic to a website through the affiliate channel will vary from sector to sector and by individual advertisers, but could typically be around 5-10%.

There could be major differences in affiliate traffic and general web traffic, as affiliate traffic is typically for acquisition purposes. General traffic could include visitors who are logging into accounts, particularly relevant for sectors like telecoms.

Average order values: iPad vs the rest

As far as average order values are concerned, the iPad is king, with an AOV of £69.94, compared to £65 for desktop (i.e. non-mobile).

As you can see from the stats, the iPhone (£48.34) does a little better than Android (£43.76), while Blackberry and other devices are way behind, a reflection of the relative user experience and ease of purchase on the different devices.

 Stats from eBay, quoted in our M-commerce Innovation Briefing, echo this trend, with the company stating that tablet users spend 50% more than PC users.

Conversion rates: iPad vs the rest

Not only are AOVs higher, but the iPad is converting better than desktop, as well as all other mobile devices.

And by some distance too. The average iPad conversion rate for August was 3.82%, with the next best 2.58% for Android. Non-mobile was way behind on 1.9%.

Mobile sales: iPad vs the rest

For the first time in August, the iPad accounted for more sales than any other device, knocking the iPhone off the top spot for the first time.

The chart also shows the growth of sales via Android devices, which have been growing at a much faster rate than Blackberry.

Of the 1.57m sales generated by affiliates in August, 77,082 were made via mobile devices. 27,551 were via iPad, 26,360 on iPhone, and 13,862 on Android.

Fashion works on the iPad

There is some variation between sectors, and the stats show that fashion retailers are doing better than most on iPad.

The fashion sector accounts for more than double the percentage of total sales compare with other sectors, a trend that isn’t there for other mobile devices.

Percentage of iPad sales:

• Retail(electrical): 1.92% of total sales via iPad.
• Retail(fashion): 3.81%.
• Telecoms: 1.21%.
• Travel: 1.01%

Percentage of mobile sales:

• Retail(electrical): 1.64% of total sales via mobile.
• Retail(fashion): 1.38%.
• Telecoms: 2.22%.
• Travel: 0.54%

Why do iPads perform so well?

This is an interesting question, and the fact that, in some circumstances at least, they are performing better than desktop merits further investigation.

As stats from our recent Multichannel Customer Experience Report show, the user experience offered by tablets (and this means iPad for the vast majority) is either good or excellent for the majority of respondents.

If we look at the retail sector (which has the best customer experience according to these stats), then 68% rate the iPad experience as good or excellent, and just 4% poor or very poor.

This is just better than mobile (66% good or better vs 7% poor or very poor), but it trails behind the online user experience. The vast majority (86%) rate the online user experience for retailers as good or excellent, and just 1% poor.

So, the user experience on iPad sits in between desktop and mobile, and is closer to mobile according to these stats. For me, I think the user experience is much better than iPad than mobile, though I have encountered the odd issue during checkout, particularly with Verified by Visa.

Users of iPads are converting better than desktop despite an inferior user experience, which means other factors are at play. Basically, iPad users are likely to have more money to spend than the average desktop, and are less price-sensitive.

According to Matt Swan:

“iPad users typically have higher amounts of disposable income, know what they want to purchase and are using their iPad’s to transact. We typically see that a lot of desktop traffic is where consumers are in the research phase. This traffic is not necessarily going to convert and is why we are seeing lower conversion rates through desktops.

In addition, the way in which people are using tablets may also impact this. People are often using their iPads at home, perhaps browsing while in bed on a Sunday morning, or on the sofa while watching TV. In short, it’s more of a lean-back experience.

Our recent Conversion Rate Optimization Report found that just 16% of companies are conducting any kind of usability testing on tablets, but these stats show that retailers (ad fashion brands especially) need to take notice of the iPad.

We have also helped wooden gates specialist (www.kpwoodengates.co.uk), and a supplier of bridal headdresses and tiaras (www.thelilactree.co.uk), and finally we have re-built the website of a Nottingham based business communications and IT infrastructure specialist who was keen to harness SEO and integrate with the power of social media. www.masoninfotech.co.uk).

Having already helped one of their own clients to achieve a turnover in excess of one million pounds, Purpose Media are now working towards their own goal of £1m turnover by the end of 2012. The company believes their existing partnership with Solutions for Accounting, who are accredited Sage developers, and the new partnership with Air IT are crucial to achieving this goal.

Purpose Media specialise in designing bespoke e-commerce websites, and Air-IT are an accredited Microsoft solutions provider. The new strategic partnership was formed to satisfy the demand from successful on-line businesses who need their e-commerce websites to link seamlessly to existing internal accounting and stock management systems.

Recent success stories include “The All-in-One Company”, who retail all in one designer sleepsuits and “Sub-Zero Technology Limited” who manufacture performance thermal wear.  

The “The All-in-One Company” company started from home and is now a thriving internet based businesses. Subzero, originally a bricks and mortar business based in Leicester, has transformed its business model by opening a whole new international market via on line sales.

Both have found that implementing an effective website marketing strategy has increased sales and profitability. However, as turnover began to increase, key profit drivers for both of these businesses was clever application of technology to improve efficiency by avoiding duplication of business operations and the need to recruit more staff.

Matt Wheatcroft from Purpose Media said, “The clients we work with range from sole traders to large corporate clients who all have one thing in common. They want a website that integrates with accounts and stock control but is still simple to manage and will deliver a “return on investment” by driving a healthy flow of sales enquiries. We ensure that happens using the latest search engine optimisation techniques”.

Commenting Todd McQuilkin said, Managing Director of Air-IT “I recently commissioned Purpose Media to redevelop our own company website and were extremely impressed with the expert services provided by Matt Wheatcroft and his dedicated team. I felt that both businesses could complement each other’s skill set and add value to our current service offering.”

This time the sites include a Leicestershire based fashion shoe brand (www.soloro.co.uk), an Ashfield based company supplying extruded aluminium products (www.ashfield-extrusion.co.uk), Mansfield based www.directstairlifts.co.uk (you can probably guess what they do!), and finally a Leicester based sustainable quarrying company targeting the Indonesian export market (www.bbsgraniteconcepts.asia).

The new iPhone 4S will be released on 4 Oct. 2011 and Ofcom reported that in May 2010 there were 12.8 million smartphone users in the UK (up by 81% on the previous year) so it is vital to revisit your website strategy and ensure it can be viewed across the much broader spectrum of devises browsers are now likely to be using.

If you would like an informal discussion on this technology could be used to benefit your business call Matt Wheatcroft on 01623 600694.

Amanda Commented “I was very pleased with the website design that was produced by Purpose Media and everyone I have talked to about the site has been very complementary. The site is simple to use and my Internet based business has flourished because of our beautiful products and the great presentation we are able to give on our website.”

Despite recent reassessment of government spending funding is still available to support training, mentoring, coaching and business development. While this is not directly related to web development it can be used to devise business strategies to make your business more successful when trading on the web. If you interested in finding out the full details of how this funding can be accessed call Matt Wheatcroft on 01623 600694.