Your mobile website should be brief, only including enough information to accommodate the specific needs of the user. Of course the needs of the user will be dictated by your own advertising.
If your advertising invites customers to "shop from home using a mobile website" they will assume you have a fully functional mobile commerce system. On the other hand you can avoid the expectation of mobile commerce if you advertise that someone can "browse jewelry conveniently on the mobile website before coming into the store." Your subtle changes of words will make all the difference.
Many large retail stores already give consumers easy access to mobile websites loaded with detailed product information and consumer reviews. These types of websites are fantastic in-store shopper assistance tools. But that's not the shopping experience your in-store jewelry customer is expecting from a local independent retailer, surely you will have a personal touch.
Just like your regular website did, your mobile site will evolve over time as you learn the needs and expectations of your customers. Start small if you have to by including only the basic information like your address, phone number, directions, designers you carry, and even a product catalog if you have the time for the setup.
Don't dabble with mobile commerce until you've had enough experience with the pitfalls of regular e-commerce. Don't misunderstand us; you should have a mobile website, but you might not be ready for mobile commerce.
A limited budget of money or time will reflect in the amount of information on your mobile website. Unless you have a fantastic content management system and a large budget, your normal website will always have a lot more information than the mobile counterpart.
Many, if not most, mobile users now have smartphones which can view your normal website. That doesn't mean you should skip the mobile site, but rather, include a clearly marked link back to the specific page on the normal site where they can read more details.
This little linking trick will transform all those simple dead end mobile pages into a well of endless information if the user is interested.
