Retailers should prepare for a new kind of holiday season – a mobile shopping season. A new research has found that in 2013 mobile shopping around Christmas will greatly increase. This year, about 23% of the people will shop through a smartphone or a tablet. This is a jump of 44% from 2012.
The majority of consumes, however, continue to prefer to do their online holiday shopping using a desktop computer (88%). Less than 50% of holiday shoppers will choose brick and mortar stores over the web. The reason is that many buyers are trying to be more efficient in their holiday shopping. As a result, they will be avoiding the countless trips to the shops this season.
However, the study states that consumers who combine the mobile with the in-store experience will score the best deals. That is because they tend to use their mobile devices to research the best deals in the stores.
- Read more: 8 Best Black Friday Apps
Consumers No Longer Afraid of Mobile Purchases
People are less afraid to search for presents with their mobile gadgets compared to previous years. Around 23% of them share that they even feel more comfortable when they do their holiday shopping online. Nevertheless, most consumers are not really willing to spend crazy amounts during the biggest shopping season of the year. A little over 40% of people plan to buy products which are over $100. Still, 33% will invest in both price and affordable products.
According to the study, mobile shoppers will mainly focus on buying items like books, video games, CDs and DVDs. The ongoing Black Friday Deals Week
Apps vs. Mobile Web
When it comes to shopping on desktop and mobile browsers, the results are at a 50:50 ratio. The amount of consumers who plan to shop through a mobile browser is nearly the same as the number of buyer who will use their desktop browser. Although mobile shopping apps are starting to gain more popularity, consumers prefer to use them for researching and not for shopping.
More than 70% of mobile buyers have shared that they have up to four shopping apps on their devices. Most consumers prefer to download coupon applications (61%), while 55% of people rely more on shopping apps. Half of all buyers plan to download apps that will guide them to the top Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.
Locations Consumers Shop via Mobile
Although mobile shopping allows us to shop from practically anywhere, most mobile consumers will shop from their home (82%). Another 37% plan to buy Christmas gifts on their mobile devices while they are at work and 28% of holiday shoppers will do this while they travel.
