In-app expectation by consumers may be higher than some think, as mobile shoppers look for more app functions before, during and after the purchase. In a study of mobile app usage in the U.S. and Europe, Utrecht University in the Netherlands looked at mobile customer engagement to see just what customers want from their apps.

While we're receiving stats galore about how some consumers will use their phones and tablets for holiday shopping this season, what is starting to stand out is how many will not. After scanning a product barcode in a recent trip to Best Buy, I loaded my ShopSavvy app to see what others were charging, showed my phone results to the employee and he cheerfully matched the Amazon price.

The holiday shopping surveys are now coming out fast and furiously and all signs are pointing to many shoppers being very busy on their mobile devices. Some new stats from the Accenture 2013 Holiday Shopping Survey show that many (38%) of shoppers will be heading to stores on Thanksgiving Day, though a large number (41%) won't be out until 6 p.m. or later.

Numerous recent studies indicate mobile will play a relatively prominent role in holiday shopping this year. People will be researching, checking and comparing prices, looking for coupons and deals and some making purchases from their mobile devices. One of the questions for retailers is how much shopping activity will come from their app and how much from their mobile website.

More mobile shoppers may soon be facing offers with higher relevance. After navigating the expansive exhibition area of Ad Tech in New York this week, I headed to the opposite end of the Javits Center to see what mobile innovation was happening at Customer Engagement Technology World (CETW).

The oft-repeated saying that people may forget their keys and wallets at home but not their phones is proving very true for in-store shoppers. A majority (70%) of consumers have their smartphones with them in stores and many are actively using them, according to a new study that looks at in-store mobile behaviors.

Consumers may lean to either apps or mobile websites for commerce depending on what company they're dealing with. A new study finds that, depending the brand, consumers will lean one way or the other. The research by Citrix Mobile Analytics focused on mobile subscriber behavior and usage patterns, with an emphasis on data traffic.

Big-name partnerships may be one of the major drivers of various mobile shopping technologies. In its efforts to expand usage of its MasterPass mobile wallet, MasterCard partnered with J. Crew so that starting this month shoppers can shop and then pay using MasterCard's mobile wallet. When Starbucks embraced Square mobile payments, many consumers nationally were introduced to the payment system.

The holiday mobile shopping surveys are coming out in full force. It seems we come across a new study every day as marketers and researchers attempt to discern every potential possible aspect of mobile shopping for this shopping season. One study from Experian Marketing Services showed that moms with young kids are 62% more likely than the population at large to use mobile phones to look for coupons while shopping. That's also the segment of mothers most likely to engage in showrooming.

It's no secret that mobile is becoming a significant influence at every stage of shopping. Some interesting new research is pointing not only to some of the details of this growth but also the differences between shopping patterns by mobile and PC users.