UK pay-as-you-go consumers spend an average of 13 days a year browsing retail sites on their mobile devices, according to a new study. 

The report, commissioned by mobile marketing and advertising firm Velti, says that 47 per cent of UK consumers believe retailers arent doing enough to cater for mobile users. For iPhone users, the figure was 66 per cent.

Director at Vision One Research Tony Lewis, who carried out the study, says: “The retail and mobile industries are ones to watch in the next couple of months as retailers start to learn more about not only what their customers want, but also what mobile is capable of. Conducting the research was an eye-opener into the world of consumers and their mobile devices, with some unexpected results. The fact that consumers are demanding more from retailers will perhaps make those brands realise that if they dont act soon and provide a valuable mobile offering for customers, then they will have missed the opportunity and customers will flock to brands that are catering for them on mobile.”

PAYG users are spending over a third longer browsing mobile retail sites than their contract/iPhone counterparts (eight days a year), according to the study. 

When users where asked to name three stores they had used on mobile, Amazon and eBay dominated with 25 per cent each. Tesco (7 per cent), Argos (4 per cent), HMV (2 per cent), Asda (2 per cent) and Next (1 per cent) figured less significantly. 

The study also found that almost 50 per cent of consumers who had received a targeted SMS from a retailer went on to make a purchase from that retailer, while 82 per cent of consumers who use their mobile while watching TV researched products and services on their mobile device after viewing a TV ad. 

Kelaine Olvera, director of marketing across Europe at Velti says: “Pay-As-You-Go users, arguably a demographic often disregarded by retailers, are spending almost two weeks a year browsing retail sites, which is a phenomenal amount of time. It wouldnt take much further engagement from a retailers point of view to convert them from browsers into customers. At Velti, this is exactly the kind of work weve been doing with brands across the globe, helping to increase engagement with their existing and potential new customers in order to help drive revenues and brand loyalty.”

The online survey was answered by approximately 1,800 mobile phone users, age 18 to 65 from across the UK.