Adaptive & Responsive Websites – An Overview

A major stir in the web design and development industry has occurred with the launch of multiple platforms where websites can be viewed. Apart from PC and Laptops, the users are now using iPads, Tablets, Mobile Phones and other devices to browse websites. This calls for the need to develop websites that are compatible on screens with varied resolutions and sizes.

There are two ways of achieving this. However, as far as Mobile Screens are concerned, though it is possible to develop a website in a way that it fits itself to suit the mobile screen,but it is not recommended. Mobile browsing demands minimalistic content and navigation as the users view it on a small screen, even if it is a large screen handset, it still does not accommodate as much content as a desktop which is the base of website design  Mobile website development is the ideal solution for reaching out to visitors coming to your website through their smart phones.

Coming back to the solution..

·         Responsive Website Development

When a website is developed as a responsive website, it re sizes itself dynamically to fit the screen size it is being viewed upon. The website elements rearrange themselves to suit the dimensions of the screen while no information is lost. Responsive websites are developed using flexible grids and flexible elements within them that re-size themselves based on the percentage of screen space they acquire in a given dimension of the screen.

·         Adaptive Website Development

An adaptive design makes the website suitable for viewing on multiple screen resolutions by defining placement and size of elements in some fixed sizes. This makes the website compatible for viewing on different devices as it captures the closest predefined assortment of website elements.

Both the methods are equally successful in making your website user friendly on different browsers/ devices however the difference, if any, lies only in the fluidity of the responsiveness of the website. Adaptive or responsive, web design companies are now focusing on offering the customers the best solution and it is definitely an advantage to have a flexible website.

The Dawn of M-Commerce-4G Networks Make it happen

You will find a lot of people arguing about the logic and practical usage of Mobile Shopping. There was a time when similar arguments used to surround the concept of “eCommerce” until Amazon and eBay turned out to be the instant shopping destination across the globe.

E commerce gained its popularity owing to the immensely growing popularity of PC, Laptops and Internet. But technology does not remain stagnant at any point. In the world that we survive, time is money. The busy life in this age does not leave much spare time for people to go out and make purchases. Moreover, there is a rapid reduction in the amount of time people spend on their PC and Laptops as alternate devices such as Smartphones, Tablets, and iPads have made life easier while you are on the move. All people care about is connectivity irrespective of time or device that gets it to them. This is what fueled the need for mobile websites and mobile app development.

Now from the perspective of consumer oriented businesses, it is a need of the hour to reach the customers where they are browsing.

The major challenges that appear while going for M-commerce mobile web development are:

·         The internet speed, even 4G is lesser than Wi-Fi so the M-commerce website needs to be fully optimized.

·         The display screen is small and the challenge is to accommodate products in a comprehensive yet user friendly manner.

·         Mobile Screens are not user friendly when it comes to filling up forms which is a necessity for an M-commerce transaction.

Mobile Shopping is here to stay, but it might come to an end for your business if you give a poor mobile shopping experience to your customers. Worst of which would be to have the desktop version to be opening on mobile screen. The idea is to provide a convenient solution to visitors looking for a quick purchase online and there are several factors that help in achieving this.

·         The search tool must be very strong and provide suggestions.

·         Navigation must be minimum and search result/ product listing pages must carry single click checkout buttons with each product.

·         Though space is a constraint but recommendations must still be provided.

·         Buttons, Links, Forms that lead to conversions need to be presented prominently.

M commerce can be achieved with development of a mobile website  or through smartphone app development. However, your checkout experience, more than the quality of your product will determine if the user is going to make another purchase ever. It is important to integrate functionality that helps the user throughout the process.

Some examples of good checkout system elements are:

·         Quick Login options through other websites - Google, Facebook, Yahoo etc.

·         Data analysis while form is being filled (e.g. please check the number you entered, it is not valid)

·         Save address for later

·         Cash on delivery is always a customer’s delight

·         On form submission, if one field is incorrect or empty, the data filled in other fields must not be lost.

M-commerce is not a choice but a necessity and its time to explore this domain with your business, do it right and reap the fruits.