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Turin, 19 June 2012
Research realized with eDigitalResearch highlights how online purchases made on mobile devices have quadrupled over the past two years.
The wide use of smartphones, combined with the increasing number of mobile applications, has accelerated mobile commerce (m-commerce), confirming a real revolution in the way that consumers are buying and surfing the net.
These are the results of a piece of research1 carried out by Portaltech Reply, a Reply Group company specialising in multichannel e-commerce strategy and solution consultancy services, in conjunction with eDigitalResearch, a research company focusing on the online and multichannel business sector.
Results showed that in the UK, online purchases made on mobile devices have quadrupled over the past two years, with 64% of the total sample interviewed2 claiming they had used their smartphone to buy a product.
There was also an increase in usage among the smartphone owners interviewed: of the number using their own device to consult websites (some 84%), a third did this on a daily basis, while three quarters did it to obtain information about products.
Mobile shopping is now well-entrenched and growing, as proven by the fact that almost half (44%) of the sample owning a smartphone claimed that their internet use, via their own device, would increase over the coming months; while a third were sure that they would make a purchase.
When asked about online purchasing, internet sites are preferred over mobile applications: 51% of respondents chose the former compared with 45% who preferred the latter; although this figure for mobile applications is growing in comparison with previous studies. Of those who prefer to use a mobile application, 23% make a purchase weekly.
While 37% of respondents have never used their smartphone to make an online purchase, this is a much lower figure than in previous studies; 21% lower when compared with results for June 2010).
And 17% of those who do not yet own a smartphone intend to exchange their mobile phone for a device with smartphone functionality in the next twelve months, with 60% of these people wanting to do so they could begin to engage in mobile commerce.
Finally, the research showed that security and the availability of internet sites which are optimised for consultation via mobile devices (with accessible links and permitting quick consultation) are key points for shoppers on mobile devices. Indeed, these factors are much more relevant than brand and design. Some 46% of smartphone owners claim that security is a ‘very influential’ factor; while 29% put browsing speed in first place; and 27%, the speed of image loading.
“The development of mobile commerce is an opportunity not only for the retail world, but for all players involved in the development of multichannel strategies and solutions,” explained Filippo Rizzante, Executive Partner and CTO of Reply. “Using smartphones as an instrument for making purchases is now the norm; and the arrival of 4G, along with connections between sales points, will further facilitate the use of these devices for multichannel shopping.”
Derek Eccleston, Head of Research at eDigitalResearch, notes: “These results confirm that mobile commerce (mCommerce) has radically revolutionised the way we make online purchases and browse the net. The use of mobile devices has experienced unprecedented growth and the changes we have seen over the past two years have taken place at an incredible speed. In June 2010 we were already predicting that smartphones would take on an important role in the frenetic life of modern consumers; and while in 2011 there was an evident acceleration, recent results have shown this trend to be irreversible. For this reason, retailers and brands must make their mobile channels as accessible as possible in order to seize the opportunities offered by mobile commerce”.
1 To download a copy of the research click here: "The role of mobile in retail commerce"
2 The studies were performed online in the UK in May 2012 on a representative sample of more than 1000 consumers owning smartphone and mobile telephones
Should you have any questions please feel free to contact:
Reply Fabio Zappelli +39 02 53576.1
Roberta Giani +39 02 53576.1
eDigital Research Lisa Bonczyk +44 (0) 1489 772920
About Portaltech Reply
Portaltech Reply is the Reply company specialising in the provision of e-commerce implementation and Multichannel consulting services. The company has gained substantial experience in e-commerce since inception in 2000 by working on some of Europe’s largest e-commerce and MultiChannel retailing projects. Portaltech Reply is 100% dedicated to hybris technology and is one of the world’s most experienced and respected implementation partners with Platinum Elite status. www.portaltechreply.com
About eDigitalResearch
eDigitalResearch are insight specialists with an expertise in online and multichannel business. We bring passionate researchers, technical experts and art designers together all under one roof to work with clients and create bespoke insight programmes. eDigitalResearch not only offer unrivalled digital research expertise and insight support, but state-of-the-art technology and innovation that works seamlessly with your systems and data across customer touch points. Our products and services help you to reach your customers no matter how they interact with businesses. Surveys, panels and communities combine to provide holistic insight to give clients the confidence to make critical business decisions. Our eMysteryshopper tool even allows you to benchmark your performance against your closest competitors and our next generation Research HUB provides immediate analysis on all results as they are collected.