Although the mobile ecommerce industry is still in its infancy and many consumers have not yet embraced the concept, recent events in the mobile ecommerce industry have indicated that the industry is growing and consumers find shopping with mobile devices more appealing and convenient. If you have followed the trends of mobile ecommerce in the news you will find many indications that the industry is on the rise and changing the way consumer views the retailing experience.
If you are a mobile ecommerce enthusiast or you have not yet taken the time to consider the concept, here are a few recent events which indicate where the industry is headed in the near future.
Mobile Shopping Survey
In a recent national mobile shopping survey sponsored by AisleBuyer the results uncovered consumer attitudes toward new Point of Sale (POS) systems implemented by retailers. Where Point of Sale usually takes place at the cash register of a retail establishment, the mobile shopping survey pointed to the fact that consumers prefer to interact with retailers who implement mobile devices in exchange for the conventional cash register setup.
The survey revealed that more than 25 percent of consumers have shopped in a retail establishment where the employees use tablet PCs and other mobile devices instead of cash registers. Close to 60 percent of consumers who were surveyed feel that they receive a more personalized and innovative shopping experience with retailers who use mobile devices as opposed to conventional cash registers.
More than 65 percent of shoppers surveyed feel that retail employees are better able to assist by being mobile on the floor instead of being confined to a cash register. More than 40 percent of shoppers surveyed felt that cash registers should be replaced with tablet PCs to enable more room for expanded choices in merchandise. Approximately 45 percent of consumers understand the term mobile wallet where only 14 percent understand the checkout process using a Near Field Communications (NFC) technology.
Other key findings in the mobile shopping survey included:
- More than 40 percent of mobile device owners abandon their shopping cart due to long lines and the decreased availability of cashiers at the checkout.
- More than 60 percent of consumers prefer to scan products with their mobile device to obtain more information and product reviews prior to making a purchase.
- 70 percent of shoppers surveyed prefer to use mobile coupons.
- More than 30 percent of consumers surveyed prefer to checkout using their mobile device.
- Over 50 percent of shoppers surveyed indicated that long lines affect what they purchase where 52 percent said they often leave a store without purchasing anything if the lines are too long.
Overall, the national mobile shopping survey pointed to the fact that mobile devices and Point of Sale (POS) Terminals will replace the conventional cash register due to customer preferences. Additionally, mobile devices will help retail associates to become more mobile which means serving the customer in a more personalized fashion by sharing product information and showing video demonstrations through the use of a mobile device.
The Mobile Shopping Survey is designed to gauge the behavior of smartphone and mobile device users and was conducted in February of 2012 with 1028 respondents. AisleBuyer is a provider of mobile ecommerce platforms and mobile self-checkout applications.