• by Steve Smith  @popeyesm, July 16, 2013

Only 16% of U.S. online consumers have used their mobile device for "shopping." But that pales in comparison to the faster adoption of m-commerce in emerging markets such as China, where 50% are using devices actively for shopping, Singapore (48%) and India (42%). These insights come from a new study of over 10,000 adults in 31 countries by Havas Worldwide and research firm Market Probe International. Indeed, the U.S. falls behind Germany, where 40% of users shop on their smartphone.

The degree of confidence in mobile commerce varies widely around the globe. American consumers remain uncertain, with only 26% saying that they are comfortable purchasing products and services on devices, compared to 64% in China and 54% in India. Globally, 34% are comfortable with m-commerce.

To some degree the results and disparity between developed and emerging markets should not be surprising. In a number of countries mobile is the first point and only point of digital access for many users. Still, Havas finds that the U.S. lags behind a number of countries when it comes to basic mobile shopping activities.

For instance, worldwide, 43% have used their smartphone to check for a better price or to look up customer reviews, but in the U.S. only 32% have done so. In China, the smartphone appears to have become standard equipment for shopping, with 74% saying that they use the device for product and review lookups. Likewise, in India 62% and in Singapore 58% use their phones for lookups.

Havas stresses that the emerging shopping habits worldwide are complex and occurring across screens. Sarita Bhatt, global strategy director, says: "To look solely at mobile (or any other device-based stream) wouldn't be in line with how consumers actually think and act." For instance, the desktop still rules as the most-used platform in the process, with 80% of worldwide respondents saying they have shopped on a home computer, 25% on a mobile device, and 14% on a tablet.  

As mobile brings social media and peer reviews/recommendations closer to the point of decision, that content may become even more critical to consumers and marketers. Thirty-eight say they have changed their mind about buying a product because of a user post at a non-branded blog or social network. Globally, 61% of people say they trust peer reviews more than they trust expert reviews. That confidence in user-generated opinion grows outside of the U.S., where 58% put most of their trust in peer reviews, but in Brazil 78%, India 74% and China 87%. 
The full report is available from Havas.