Mobile devices will be a huge force for commerce in all facets of retail this holiday shopping season. That comes directly from a new study backed by the Mobile Marketing Association.
According to a joint national survey conducted by Sybase 365 and the MMA, mobile devices are playing a more crucial role than ever before in influencing consumers’ shopping decisions.
The new survey found that mobile’s influence over consumer shopping behaviors is far greater than it was just a year ago.
As confirmed in the study, a vast majority (87%) of respondents reported that they will use their mobile device to change the way they shop this holiday season. Additionally, 50 percent of consumers plan to make a purchase with their mobile device this holiday season either through mobile web, apps, at the point of sale (POS) or using SMS/text or voice on their device.
But perhaps the most important takeaway from the study is that consumers who aren’t big mobile shoppers at the moment may be converted if further improvements to the mobile shopping experience are made.
Sixty-one percent of consumers would be more willing to use their mobile devices to influence their purchasing decisions at the POS if improvements were made to the current consumer experience.
“The results from this survey clearly indicate that we are starting to see meaningful adoption of mobile commerce solutions,” says John Sims, president of Sybase 365. “While progress is being made, the industry needs to make a collective effort to better educate and inform consumers about pressing issues surrounding mobile payments, such as available technology, security, and usage benefits. This will ensure that consumers are comfortable enough to embrace this extremely pervasive industry as part of their everyday lives.”