For many owners of these and tablet devices, use is now a vital part of the buying experience.
The results of a new survey from Perception Research Services International has shown that 76 percent of smartphone owners will use mobile commerce in some way through a smartphone or tablet before they make a purchase of electrics, apparel, and grocery products.
The survey also discovered the specific reasons that these devices are used while shopping.
Smartphone and tablet owners use mobile commerce in a number of different ways as they debate buying various products. In fact, much of the influence from the devices is not for a direct purchase that is actually made online over the device. Instead, it is a part of the overall process from the point that the product is identified and onward.
Mobile commerce, therefore, plays a multichannel role in the road to buying one or several items.
Among the other mobile commerce discoveries that were made by the researchers include the following:
• 53 percent of smartphone owners compare prices through the use of the device.
• 49 percent of the survey’s respondents said that they use their devices to read customer reviews.
• 48 percent of these tablet and smartphone owners use the device to find coupons, sales, and other discount opportunities.
• 48 percent use the devices to seek out additional information about products.
• 37 percent head to a manufacturer’s site in order to obtain more product information.
• 34 percent use the device to seek out the opinion of a friend or family member.
• 31 percent actually make the product or service purchase through a mobile commerce site or app.
• 31 percent take part in a contest.
• 17 percent use the device to view a product demonstration.
The shopper research company, Perception Research Services International, looked into mobile commerce in order to help with merchandizing and packaging systems improvements. The survey involved the participation of 1,450 adults in the United States who were responsible for a minimum of half of the grocery shopping in their household. Among them, just over half (54 percent) owned a smartphone.
BWild |
December 10, 2012
Mobile commerce becoming more important for the retail industry
The mobile space is becoming increasingly important for the retail industry. A growing number of consumers are beginning to rely more heavily on their mobile devices in order to shop and make purchases. It can be very difficult for retailers to reach out to these consumers through traditional websites and platforms, however, hence the need for sites that are optimized for viewing on mobile devices. A new report from digital marketing firm Acquity Group shows that retailers are beginning to take mobile consumers and mobile commerce more seriously.
Report shows that mobile sites are common with retailers
According to the report, approximately 82% of the top retailers in the world have websites that are optimized for mobile viewing. These sites are ideal for mobile consumers who use a smart phone or tablet in their daily lives. The report also shows that 72% of these retailers also have mobile applications associated with their business. Many of these applications are simply used to make shopping more convenient for consumers and provide them with a way to find more information on particular products they may be interested in. Some of these applications geared toward mobile commerce, facilitating payments for goods via a mobile device.
E-commerce platforms may not be mobile-friendly
Most brands received praise in the report for their various e-commerce initiatives. E-commerce sites appear to be a major success across the board for most of the world’s largest retailers. These sites allow retailers to sell products online, as well as accept payments from consumers all over the world. While the report shows that many of the e-commerce platforms that retailers use are reaching consumers in an effective way, these platforms are much less accommodating to mobile consumers. Many e-commerce platforms are not optimized for mobile service, thus it can be difficult for mobile consumers to make in-store purchases or simply buy products using their mobile device.
Mobile commerce becoming more synonymous with e-commerce
Mobile commerce and e-commerce are quickly becoming a singular channel. In the past, the two had been markedly separate, especially due to the fact that mobile commerce is a relatively new concept. As more consumers become integrated with their mobile devices, retailers are beginning to face a need to become more accommodating of the needs and interests of these consumers.
