• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, November 17, 2021

B2B marketers should not worry about how to reach increasingly younger buyers. The answer is mobile, according to Consumerization of B2B, a study released Wednesday by Rightpoint. 

Of the individuals polled, 54% are shopping on their smartphones more than they did a year ago. And 43% are at the same level. Only 3% are buying less. 

These findings spell opportunity for marketers, including those working in the email department. 

Contrary to expectation, those in the Gen Z cohort are 60% more likely than older millennials-Gen X to have buying responsibilities. (We wonder about that: Does this mean these younger workers are empowered to buy supplies — or six-figure software packages?) 

Of business buyers, 53% use their smartphones regularly when shopping and buying for work. Another 29% do not use their phones regularly for this purpose, but are interested, and 18% do not do so. 

Overall, 48% of consumers are also business buyers. 

The respondents cite these benefits from shopping on mobile (please note the last one): 

• Convenience
• Save time
• I can shop anytime, anyplace
• Ease of checkout
• Shopping online is more appealing
• I am able to multitask more efficiently
• Shopping apps have better/more deals
• Variety of payment options
• I prefer app shopping experiences over website
• Have a bigger budget than I used to
• It is easier to share my finds with others via text
• Being more generous to myself
• I’m often clicking through on text offers/messages
• I’m often clicking through from email I read. 

However, they face these challenges when buying for work: 

• Keeping up with constantly changing needs—34%
• Managing budget—33% 
• Accessing secure payment options—29%

More than 50% apiece rate email newsletters and brand newsletter very important post-purchase, surpassed only by YouTube, Text/SMS and Facebook. 

And they like games — 75% like games/contests that reward engagement with deals and discounts.  

In addition, 71% favor memberships that unlock access to exclusive items or services, 70% desire quizzes and polls that help identify products and 70% are fond of app-only “drops” of limited edition merchandise. 

The respondents engage in the following activities on their smartphones at least weekly:

• Use Search (e.g. Google, Bing) to find a specific product or brand—62%
• General product research—50%
• Browse on a brand/retailer website—44%
• Purchase item(s) via credit card—31%
• Use Voice to find a specific product or brand—27%
• Purchase item(s) via mobile wallet (e.g. ApplePay, Paypal)—26%
• Track packages/obtained shipping & delivery status—24%
• Share product information via SMS text or messaging app—23%
• Share pictures of new purchases on social media—17%
• Text/Chat with a live customer support agent—14%
• Submit product review(s)/ratings—14%
• Scan a barcode or QR code to get more product info and/or add to cart—14%
• Purchase item(s) via a payment app (e.g., Karma, Affirm)—13%
• Engage with a customer support chatbot—10%
• Share a “haul video” of new purchases on social media—5%

Get with it: They could be doing all this when buying your business products and services. 

Rightpoint surveyed 830 U.S. marketers with a median age of 32, median household income of $72,600.