SINGAPORE – Mobile as a shopping channel is now on a par with PCs and a key to driving the change in consumer shopping behavior, a new report from BuzzCity, commissioned by the MMA, revealed.
More people than ever before are shopping online and on their mobile devices. Nearly half of mobile users (48%) made purchases online regularly. In addition nearly one in five browse products online before buying in stores. Taken together, more than 70% of mobile consumers shop online.
In some countries, mobile has become the most dominant shopping channel. This is highly apparent in the Asia Pacific region where mobile leads the way for shopping, as more of the population turn to mobile as their primary device. A third (32%) shop with their mobiles compared to a fifth (21%) with PC’s in the region. Further growth in mobile is expected as nearly one in three (30%) of those surveyed said that they would consider using their mobiles for shopping.
Rohit Dadwal, Managing Director (APAC) at MMA commented, “Mobile as a channel has evolved very quickly but the challenge for marketers is to create a seamless shopping experience across all the channels to ensure that consumers are getting a consistent brand message and identity.”
The explosive rise of mobile as a shopping channel appears to have caught many retailers off guard. The survey records that more people are leaving stores without making a purchase for a variety of reasons. At least 22% left stores for a better deal online compared to 13% last year and 27% could not find what they wanted in stores compared to 14% in 2013. Overall, fewer customers are engaging with shop assistants and consequently not making it to the tills, which should signal strong alarm bells for retailers.
Dr KF Lai, CEO and founder of BuzzCity commented, “We know that consumers are driven by mobile in the first instance, but mobile first shouldn’t mean mobile only for retailers.”
Lai continued: “Consumers are changing the way they choose their purchases – it has become more complex and will continue to evolve. The survey highlights mobile’s potential to undermine traditional brand power and the imperative for marketers to maintain the relevance of their message across all digital media.”
The survey was conducted in April and May 2014 amongst 3590 respondents from 26 countries including 11 Asia Pacific markets. Results are published in the The BuzzCity Report Volume 4 Issue 3.
