Stephen DiMarco, Chief Marketing Officer at Millward Brown Digital, says “… mobile is simultaneously a top-priority and a blind spot for virtually everyone in the marketing ecosystem…”
Consumers who use mobile devices to research purchases visit retailer sites more frequently than those who use PCs alone. According to the research, mobile visitors engage with top retailers twice as often as PC visitors (on average, 6.2 times per month vs. 2.9 times per month). For brands looking to master mobile purchase opportunities this means they have twice as many opportunities to convert individuals, or lose them to a more effective rival, on a mobile device, says the report.
Frequency of Consumer Visits to Retail Sites During Their Path to Purchase | |
Method of Visit | Frequency to Purchase |
Mobile | |
Online only | 8.7 times |
Multi-channel | 4.2 |
PC | |
Online only | 4.5 |
Multi-channel | 1.5 |
Source: MillwardBrown Digital, October 2013 |
Mobile shoppers interact with more touchpoints more intensively when shopping, concludes the report. Smartphone users, and to a lesser degree consumers using tablets, engage with search engines and social media sites more than pure PC users. The use of social sites during the shopping process reveals the inextricable link between mobile and social usage, and the need for marketers to approach planning in an integrated manner.
Touchpoints Used on Path To Purchase (Approximate % of Consumers) | |||
| Device Used | ||
Touchpoint Site Type | Smartphone | Tablet | PC |
Search engines | 44% | 27% | 17% |
Retail | 39 | 21 | 19 |
Social | 24 | 12 | 3 |
Coupon | 24 | 8 | 9 |
Brand | 18 | 10 | 7 |
Video | 14 | 7 | 1 |
Consumer reviews | 13 | 10 | 6 |
Source: MillwardBrown Digital, October 201 |
Mobile tablet users who are shopping for a new product are nearly twice as likely to go online from homes, while smartphone users are likely to turn to their devices while they are in a retail environment and/or while they have downtime, reinforcing the need for different mobile strategies. Differing mobile usage behaviors show that context is more important than a one-size-fits-all strategy, says the report.
Locations From Which Consumers Use Mobile Devices to Access Internet (% of Users by Device) | ||
| Device | |
Location Used | Smartphone | Tablet |
At home | 36% | 68% |
In a store | 15 | 4 |
Waiting | 14 | 5 |
Commuting | 6 | 13 |
Restaurant/coffee shop | 10 | 5 |
Out of town | 8 | 9 |
Other | 5 | 2 |
Source: MillwardBrown Digital, October 2013 |
DiMarco concludes that “… gaining a more complete view into mobile attitudes and behaviors is… critical to getting mobile right… brands can… ensure mobile complements the overall brand building mix…”
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