Since we last wrote about the usability of mobile websites, the rise of the iPhone and other high-end handsets has meant that even more people use the Internet on their phone. (Source: Nielsen Mobile/BBC). Companies have responded by creating more mobile-optimised websites, some of which now allow people to complete e-commerce transactions on the mobile, instead of simply researching for information.

Think mobile for the post-transaction stage

Interacting with your customers doesn't stop when they complete a transaction. A good mobile user experience should extend well into the post-transaction phase, e.g. when customers need to track the goods they ordered or check a booking confirmation. After all, if your customers have chosen to complete a transaction using a mobile phone, they'll likely appreciate following up on this transaction in the same way.

Depending on the nature of the transaction, the following guidelines may apply:

• When customers can buy physical goods through your mobile site, provide a mobile solution for tracking the progress of the order and the delivery of the goods.
• When customers can book tickets or other services through your site, provide a mobile-friendly booking confirmation e-mail and consider mobile ticketing solutions, where tickets can be electronically stored in a mobile phone in the form of a special barcode
• In any case, ensure that all e-mails following up on a transaction are mobile-friendly

Conclusion

With increasing mobile internet use, it won't be long before your customers will expect to transact with you over their mobile phone. This will take more than simply "downscaling" your existing website to fit in a mobile screen. Only if you carefully consider the unique challenges and opportunities offered through the mobile channel will you be able to offer your customers a truly mobile user experience.

This article was written by Alexander Baxevanis. Alex is crazy about usability - so crazy that he works for Webcredible, an industry leading user experience consultancy, helping to make the Internet a better place for everyone. He's very good at information architecture training and extremely talented at eyetracking.