• by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, April 23, 2013

Many moms and their mobile devices are inseparable.

More than half (51%) of smartphone or tablet owning moms use their mobile device as part of their shopping experience either daily or weekly with more than a third (35%) using them daily, based on a new study.

Alliance Data surveyed mothers, the majority of whom had one to two children, and found the top reasons that most mothers (56%) use mobile devices to shop is that it’s fast/easy, they have no time to go to a mall or store and they can more easily compare prices.

As in many studies we see, there always seems to be some interesting nuggets of insights further inside the reports.

For example, the number one way that moms incorporate their mobile device into their shopping experience is that they like to receive SMS/text messages from retailers. In fact, SMS was the only category that a majority (52%) said they used to incorporate mobile into their shopping experience.

The leading items mothers shop for over mobile are clothing for themselves and their families, beauty products and household goods.

A study we wrote about last week showed that the majority of women shoppers prefer to shop in stores for clothes and shoes rather than through a mobile app.

The Alliance Data survey found that when in a store but not ready to buy, the majority (58%) of moms snaps a photo of the item so they remember it later and about a third (35%) take a photo of the shelf tag with the price to compare pricing later.

And for even further evidence of the importance of smartphones and tablets to moms, the researchers asked the mothers if they had to give up one thing in order to keep their mobile device, what would they be most willing to part with for one month:

• 25% -- All TV or movies
• 22% -- Time with their children
• 12% -- Running water
• 8% -- Toothpaste, toothbrush and soaps
• 5% -- Their car

Fewer than a third (29%) of moms surveyed would give up their mobile device over the options offered.

What would it take for you to give up your mobile phone for a month?

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