The influx of smartphone and tablet ownership has changed the way consumers research products and make purchasing decisions in-store and online. With the holiday season here, it’s important to know and understand top mobile shopping trends to boost your mobile presence and provide a seamless customer experience across all channels. Here are the Top 6 mobile shopping trends for marketers:
#1 Consumers are looking for in-store mobile offers
As per Google’s mobile research, 8 in 10 smartphone owners use their device to research and browse for products. And more than half of them have said that they would like exclusive offers delivered to their mobile device while they are in the store. Most mobile devices have GPS capabilities, thus enabling the delivery of exclusive offers when in-store. This results in higher customer retention and better shopping experience.
#2 Multiscreen searches are on the rise
People are no longer using just one device at a time. They may watch TV while browsing the internet on their tablets. They might start searching for a product on their desktop at home and then continue looking on their phone while commuting. Google is now in the pocket of every consumer out there. On New Year’s Eve in 2012, mobile and tablet searches for gyms, cleanses and diets in U.K increased by 288 percent from what it was in 2011. According to Google’s 2013 holiday shopping intentions study, 84% users start searching on one device and finish on another making it necessary to shift focus on marketing to multiscreen customers.
#3 Mobile shoppers spend more time in-store
Mobile has empowered shoppers, saving them time and money while making the overall shopping experience easier. It may sound strange, but mobile shoppers spend around 50 percent more time per shopping trip in-store than consumers who don’t use their mobiles frequently. Many of these people use their device to compare prices or read reviews while in the store.
#4 Customers use mobile as a cost-saving tool
Holidays are that time of the year when most consumers are on a constant lookout for the best deals. Google’s study reports that 63 percent of smartphone owners use their phones to search for promotional offers before making a purchase decision. Extending exclusive deals through mobile is a great way to attract these consumers. If you haven’t yet planned a mobile-centric promotion, there’s no need to panic. With 65 percent women and 50 percent men planning to take advantage of post-holiday sales, there’s plenty you can still do to cash in.
#5 Mobile-optimized retailers to gain more
This year, Cyber Monday is expected to generate more than $2 billion in online sales. However, with only 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, 2013 is the shortest holiday season since 2002 and is expected to cost $1.5B in potential sales to retailers. Retailers with mobile-optimized presence are expected to gain 20 percent of their sales through mobile devices.
#6 Millennials dominate mobile
The millennial generation (18 to 34 year olds) will be the largest group of people shopping with their mobiles. Google’s study with Ipsos predicted that 88 percent of all millennial smartphone owners and 67 percent of smartphone owners aged over 35 years are expected to use their devices for shopping this holiday season.
The use of mobile devices for shopping is only expected to increase as more and more people adapt to smartphones and tablets. Boost your company’s sales with a mobile-optimized website or app to enhance user experience and stay ahead of the curve.