Category: Apps

Mobile apps are altering the way we shop

| November 26, 2014

Shoppers with smartphones and tablets are using those devices to research products and discounts.

This year, more than ever before, it is expected that consumers will be using mobile apps and other m-commerce opportunities on their smartphones and tablets to be able to compare products and prices and to find better deals, particularly throughout the opening weekend of the holiday shopping season.

This is making it look as though this weekend will be breaking all previous mobile shopping records.

The current prediction of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) are that mobile apps and websites will be used more this weekend than in any other starting weekend of the holiday season. They forecast that 103.3 million Americans will be shopping online – using laptops, desktops, smartphones, and tablets – from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday 2014. This will represent an increase in online shopping over that weekend of 6.1 million shoppers when compared to last year.

The report showed that mobile apps and websites will also be used far more than last year.

Mobile apps affect consumersIt determined that the total number of Americans who planned to shop over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend will be about 143 million people. Among them, 89 million American adults have the intention of purchasing some form of consumer technology products. The use of mobile devices will come into play at this time in order to compare the various products that are available and to be able to locate the best deals that can be found from retailers that sell them.

Almost three out of every four consumers (74 percent) expect to use their smartphones, tablets, or cell phones while shopping, whether to access shopping applications, to consult the mobile web, or simply to call someone else and ask questions with regards to products or purchases that are being considered. This is the highest total that has ever been recorded by the annual survey conducted by the CEA.

According to the chief economist of the CEA, Shawn DuBravac, “Consumers are becoming more comfortable with the security protocols and in using new payment options as they are being introduced to the marketplace.” He also pointed out that when it comes to mobile apps for payments “there are more options and choices” than there have ever been.

Mobile marketing is frustrating 80 percent of African consumers

| November 21, 2014

A new survey has revealed that these device users are becoming annoyed with the advertising they are receiving.

The research firm, Ifop, from France, has released the results of a study that they conducted in South Africa and Algeria, which revealed that consumers in those countries are not appreciating the types of mobile marketing that they are receiving from brands and companies.

They discovered that 80 percent of consumers in those countries were annoyed by unsolicited messages they received.

This reveals that the mobile marketing strategies being used by companies and brands targeting smartphone using consumers in Africa may not be nearly as effective as is hoped. Instead of engaging consumers, they are managing to annoy them, instead. Moreover, the research also showed that the same percentage of consumers could be won back by those brands and companies if they change their efforts and implement practices that will enhance the consumer engagement that is promoted by their ads.

This mobile marketing study was conducted by Ifop on behalf of Gemalto using face to face interviews.

Mobile Marketing - AfricaThe mobile advertising research involved the participation of adults over the age of 18 years. There were 800 respondents in Nigeria and South Africa. The purpose of the study was to better determine the opinions of consumers with regards to the types of marketing to which they have been exposed over their smartphones. It sought to pinpoint and examine the negative perceptions that had been formed about this type of advertising in those two parts of Africa. It was conducted back in July 2014.

The study showed that Nigerian and South African consumers had similar desires when it comes to mobile ads and promotions. Consumers in both of those nations have shown that they would prefer to have some control over the types and natures of the ads that they receive over their smartphones and tablets.

It showed that 83 percent of the participants in the study believe that mobile marketing should be an opt-in basis, only. Moreover, 90 percent would want to be able to identify the company or brand from which they receive these messages and communications.