A survey from retail marketing specialists Limelight Networks has provided yet more evidence that consumer demands are high when it comes to mobile retail sites. 

According to the survey, which aimed to identify mobile commerce trends for the holiday shopping season and beyond, mobile shopping expectations mirror that of the desktop, with 88 per cent ranking the time time it takes for the site to load or appear on the screen as extremely important or important; 88 per cent ranking detailed product images on the site as extremely important or important; and 80 per cent reporting abandoning shopping sessions if they have a bad experience. 

82 per cent said mobile site optimisation, such as removing the need to side-scroll, as extremely important or important. 

“Consumers are unwilling to suffer less than optimal mobile shopping experiences, with 80 per cent reporting that they will instantly abandon a bad experience,” says David Reisfeld, GM, content delivery solutions at Limelight Networks. “Although 62 per cent of respondents noted that they intend to return to the retailer at a later date using a computer, the retailer has still lost the immediate purchase and cannot guarantee that the buyer will ultimately complete the purchase in the future. Even worse, almost 40 per cent of respondents indicated that they will actively avoid a retailers unsatisfactory mobile site.”

The survey also looked into how often people are shopping on their phones. It found that internet connected devices are used to purchase apps, games, eBooks and music, with 34 per cent purchasing regularly (once every 1-2 months) or very often (more than once a week). 

71 per cent of respondents report using their internet-connected mobile device to research products while they are physically in the store.

“Even if respondents do not complete purchases on their internet-connected mobile devices, they are using their devices as a source of product information before making purchases elsewhere,” says David Hatfield, SVP, sales and marketing, Limelight Networks. “The mobile device has emerged as a gateway to retail engagement across multiple selling channels, and therefore retailers who maximise the mobile shopping experience are best positioned to increase sales and overall brand loyalty.”