While many shoppers aren’t using their phones in stores to help
them decide what to buy, most of those who do would rather turn to their mobile device than a salesperson for help.
While shopping in a store, the majority (58%) of mobile shoppers prefer to
look up information on their smartphone or tablet rather than talk to a store employee, based on a new study.
Those shoppers also find mobile-gathered information to be more helpful than what
stores provide.
Well over half (62%) of mobile shoppers perceive the information they get via their mobile device to be more beneficial than information on in-store displays or sales
literature, according to the Consumer Electronics Association study Enhancing the In-Store CE Retail Experience Using Mobile Devices.
The findings are based on a survey of 753 adults
who have shopped in a retail store within the last 12 months and used their smartphone or tablet to assist in shopping or making a purchase decision while in a store.
The survey found that
more than a third (36%) of the online general population use their mobile device while shopping in a store.
As in other studies, the CEA report found a range of product types where mobile
shoppers use their phones:
- 60% -- Electronics
- 55% -- Groceries
- 47% -- Apparel
- 39% -- Health and beauty products
Of those who turn to their
mobile device for additional product information while in a store, searching the internet is at the top of the list. Here’s what they do:
- 69% -- Conduct a general internet
search
- 52% -- Visit a store-specific website
- 47% -- Use a store-specific app
- 46% -- Visit a manufacturer-specific website
A Harris poll last year also
found that the majority (59%) of smartphone-armed showroomers prefer looking up product information on their phone to asking salespeople for help, as I wrote about here at the time (Using Mobile to Help Consumers Buy In-Store).
Retailers who don’t cater
to in-store mobile shoppers through their phones may find themselves totally left out of the final decision process during a shopping trip.
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Mark your calendars for the second MediaPost IoT: Beacons conference in Chicago Feb. 10.