As the push toward mobile shopping continues, many marketers are hoping to define the typical mobile shopper. Understanding broad trends of mobile shopping behavior can help marketers reach this highly coveted demographic and speak to them in a way that takes their preferences and behaviors into account. Here are four essential traits of today's modern mobile shopper.
They Shop at Home
You might think that mobile shoppers make purchases from their smartphones and tablets because they are always on the go, but it looks like this isn't an accurate conclusion. According to a Nielsen study, a majority of both smartphone and tablet shoppers (72 percent and 95 percent, respectively) do their shopping from home. This is likely due to convenience: It's simpler for mobile shoppers to pull out their devices when they're relaxed at home rather than in transit, so the vast majority of purchases occur in the home.
Mobile Shoppers Still Enjoy Window Shopping
The typical storefront might not be involved, but mobile shoppers really like to research and look at products they are considering purchasing later. In fact, according to Mashable, of all the activities mobile shoppers perform on shopping websites, making actual purchases is one of the least popular. Looking at product information and researching prices top the list of activities mobile shoppers take part in on mobile shopping websites and apps.
Mobile Shoppers Compare Less In-App
Though plenty of shoppers compare prices and look for deals online, research reported on by DigiDay suggests that consumers who shop on their mobile devices using an app — rather than simply a mobile version of a website — are less likely to comparison shop, with 46 percent of mobile shoppers self-reporting that they do little to no deal-hunting when using a dedicated shopping app. Apps are very convenient, and mobile consumers who use them are likely value convenience over potential cost savings.
They Spend Less Money Overall
Though they are unlikely to bargain hunt, mobile shoppers are also less likely to make impulse purchases, leading them to spend less money per shopping trip, according to Internet Retailer. Though online retailers might try to attract mobile shoppers' interest with ads and deals, it looks like digital representations of impulse buys simply don't have the impact over mobile shoppers that their physical counterparts do over in-store shoppers.
The digital landscape is changing rapidly as consumers shift from shopping on a computer toward shopping on mobile devices. Knowing what kinds of shoppers are more likely to shop on a smartphone or tablet — and what they do when they shop — can help marketers speak directly to these consumers and take advantage of the unique habits of the mobile shopper.
