mobile commerce holiday spending on the rise

Deloitte, a professional services and consulting firm, has released the results a new survey concerning mobile commerce and the 2012 holiday season. Mobile commerce has been growing in popularity amongst consumers who are deeply involved in mobile technology. More consumers around the world are beginning to rely on their smart phones and tablets for more than just connectivity with friends, family, and the Internet. These consumers are turning to the mobile devices to make purchases for goods, a trend that retailers are beginning to respond to.

Survey predicts mobile consumers will have a large role to play during holiday season

According to the Deloitte survey, more than half the consumers that own and use a smart phone regularly are expected to use these devices for their holiday shopping this year. More than 5,000 consumers were surveyed by Deloitte over a 10-day period. The survey found that mobile commerce is, indeed, becoming a major part of the life of consumers, especially those that rely on their mobile device for a wide variety of services.

Majority of mobile consumers willing to spend more money

The survey predicts that 62% of shoppers using their mobile devices will do so at physical store locations. Approximately 58% of consumers will use their mobile devices to compare prices or look for more information on products. While this may be becoming a more common aspect of the retail industry, mobile commerce has significant economic implications that may be great news for this industry. According to Deloitte, 72% of mobile consumers are expected to pay more overall during their shopping than consumers that do not participate in mobile commerce. Each of these consumers is expected to spend more than $1,400 during the holiday season.

Mobile commerce expected to impact future holiday seasons

Mobile commerce is expected to translate into major gains for the retail industry, and especially for companies that are putting a strong focus on appealing to mobile consumers. The trend is expected to grow in the coming years, according to Deloitte, with the 2013 holiday season likely to see higher engagement throughout mobile commerce platforms than in previous years.