ForeSee Results which specializes in online customer satisfaction measurement, has announced the results of research which looked at how and when shoppers use mobile applications when shopping. Although the study was carried out online, with more than 7,000 visitors to the top 30 UK e-retail websites surveyed during the Christmas shopping period, respondents were quizzed about their use of mobile phones to help them make purchasing decisions when shopping offline in high street stores.
The survey found that 95% of the UKs online shoppers have a mobile phone, but that only 25% have used them while shopping. The research also found that the vast majority of shoppers who did use a mobile phone as part of their shopping experience did not make heavy use of retailer-originated mobile applications or Internet-based product information. Most (65%) used their phone to get a simple opinion about a purchase. 40% used it to send a picture of a product they might choose, 19% to look at comparison prices, and 13% to look at product reviews.
The study found that shoppers who use a mobile phone as part of an in-store shopping experience are 7% more likely to buy something in a store than those who dont. It also  identified a greater likelihood for shoppers who use their mobiles whilst browsing, to buy offline rather than online (62% compared with 58%).
People are using phones to call someone for advice and it seems that more often than not, the opinion they get encourages them to buy the item, says ForeSee, adding that stores should perhaps consider phone-a-friend promotions to encourage this kind of shopping behaviour.
The research also found that people who use mobiles while shopping are slightly less loyal, less satisfied, and less likely to return to the retailers website, perhaps because they are heavily influenced by the attitudes and input of others.
Foresee believes that mobile applications offer a huge opportunity for British retailers to encourage in-store purchases, especially considering the high-rate of mobile penetration in the UK. 25% is not an insignificant number, the company says, especially considering the small but growing use of Smartphones and the fact that many retail mobile applications were new or still in beta testing this Christmas shopping season. For the 2009 Christmas shopping season, ForeSee believes that usage of mobile phones during in-store shopping experiences should at least double.