More and more consumers are using their phones to complete entire purchase journeys, with search & purchase exceeding search only for the first time, according to new research.

42 per cent of online consumers now use their smartphone or tablet to both search for and complete travel and financial purchases online, with 54 per cent having booked a hotel in this way. The figures come from a new study by Unique Digital and YouGov, who suggest this change in digital retail is one of the main drivers behind the growth in mobile ad spend.

The survey, which focused on the use of apps for banking, purchasing insurance and booking hotels, flights and car hire, showed that consumers value the ease of use and speed of apps, citing these as their top reasons for downloading and using them. While price remains the main influence of purchase decision, with 78 per cent saying it is a factor in their purchase journey, the convenience of apps outweighs other traditional incentives such as familiarity with a brand, personalised offers and content.

“Our research shows that we are at the start of an all-commerce age: terms such as eCommerce and mCommerce are set to be consigned to the dustbin of history,” said Phil Stelter, managing director of Unique Digital. “The days of consumers just researching items on mobile devices are gone: purchases are being complete on the same device with increasing regularity now.

“Brands need to take advantage of this trend by focusing on the data collection that unifies their understanding of a new mobile consumer and campaign planning that delivers messaging and experiences which dont try to dictate how consumers should interact with their brands.”