77 per cent of smartphone owners have researched or browsed potential purchases using catalogues over the past six months, according to the latest consumer research from eDigitalResearch and Portaltech Reply, signalling the importance that more established and traditional channels still have to play in the overall multichannel customer journey.

Similarly, just 3 per cent of the smartphone owners surveyed had not visited a store to make a purchase over the past six months, despite numerous retailers announcing a fall in high street profits, highlighting the fact that the integration of established channels with new and emerging touch points, will be key to retailers’ success in the future.

eDigitalResearch and Portaltech Reply have been tracking the changing trends in multichannel shopping and browsing preferences with UK consumers since June 2010. This, the third study of its kind carried out earlier this year, found that whilst online and mobile channels are seeing substantial year-on-year growth, more traditional shopping channels, such as catalogues and stores still have a vital role to play.

Derek Eccleston, head of research at eDigitalResearch, says: “With our consumer research studies, we’ve been able to track over time the impact that smartphones and new technologies have had on consumer behaviour and buying patterns. The research highlights the need for retailers to integrate all their customer touchpoints, old and new, and provide a seamless customer experience in an increasingly multichannel world. For retailers operating more established channels, as well as introducing new and emerging touch points, it is essential to create a dynamic and engaging multichannel strategy to involve all channels into the browsing and buying customer journey.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, online and mobile channels have seen significant growth over the past 12 months, with 84 per cent of smartphone owners using both online and mobile channels to shop on a regular (weekly or monthly) basis, a number which has risen by 36 per cent since March 2011.

The results also show substantial growth in purchases made by mobile devices across all product categories. 64 per cent of respondent had used their mobile to make a purchase, with items such as Books, CDs, DVDs, clothes and travel products the most popular purchases. However, DIY specialists, jewellery and footwear retailers have seen some of the biggest growth over the past year, with mobile optimised site orders growing 169 per cent, 124 per cent and 121 per cent respectively year-on-year.

You can download a copy of the full report here.