35 per cent of UK consumers will do more shopping on their smartphones this Christmas according to eDigitalResearch and IMRG, as the popularity of shopping and browsing on mobile devices continues to increase.
The latest eCustomerServiceIndex (eCSI) results show that 61 per cent of the 5,994 people surveyed will browse more frequently via their phone over the next 12 months, with 49 per cent of these saying they will make a purchase from their smartphone as well.
Derek Eccleston, research director at eDigitalResearch explains: “Christmas is by far the most important time for retailers. This year will be one of the first Christmas shopping periods where mobile shopping will be readily available to the majority of consumers. The rapid development in mobile technology, and the quick uptake by retailers of mobile sites and retail apps means that more and more brands have the opportunity to connect with potential customers, encourage purchases and increase revenues.
“As we continue to be gripped by the MEcommerce revolution – where the consumer now holds the power to shop where, when and how they like – it is crucial that retailers have a strong presence across multiple channels in order to maximise the potential rewards that this Christmas has to offer.”
The study also found that more and more consumers will be relying on the internet this year for their Christmas shopping, despite the snow and disrupted deliveries that affected online orders in 2010. 19 per cent of those surveyed will be doing more Christmas shopping online this year. 33 per cent said that they will be spending at least half of their Christmas budget online, whilst 25 per cent will do up to three quarters of their shopping on the internet.
The results also indicate that price will be the main influencing factor for consumers this Christmas period. 46 per cent of people claim that better prices are the main factor encouraging them to shop online, rather than through other channels, an increase of 5 per cent on last year’s results. Similarly, 45 per cent of consumers are somewhat reliant on the internet to stretch their budgets, whilst 17 per cent of shoppers are very reliant.
“More smartphones are sold than standard mobiles in the UK now, and mobile-enabled retailer sites are improving, particularly in terms of usability and display, so it is not surprising to see that confidence in the channel is continuing to grow,” says Andrew McClelland, chief operations and policy officer at IMRG. “However, the eCSI results did reveal that 50 per cent of consumers strongly prefer to purchase their groceries in-store, with just 10 per cent strongly preferring to do so online. This is far higher than any other category, and reveals that consumers are missing out on potential savings, particularly during the Christmas period, as food is a major area of expenditure.
“Many online supermarkets have mobile-optimised sites in place, and 40 per cent of mobile internet users already access it from home. It seems that it will require a behavioural shift, but the benefits of doing your Christmas food shopping from the sofa, rather than standing in long queues, is clear.”