Half Of Britons Now Use Mobile Devices For Shopping

Smartphones have become UK shoppers’ top sales assistant, a trend that explains the growing importance of e-mobile to retailers. I read recently that 57% of Britons have used their gadget to confirm product availability and half of the country’s population already use it as a tool for shopping, suggesting that businesses need to tap into mobile’s full potential in order to compete in today’s world.

Deloitte has found that the share of Britons owning a smartphone has surged to 72% from 58% just 10 months earlier. Smart devices are extremely popular with Generation Y (consumers aged 25-34), with almost 90% of them now owning one. Younger consumers are generally considered most tech-savvy and influential, so it’s vital for retailers to accommodate their sales channels to comply with the requirements of this group of shoppers, Deloitte opines.

As smartphone-use grows, customers demand richer and more personalised mobile experiences – this has resulted in the increasing prevalence of apps. Apps have become an essential component of shopping experiences of Generation Z, with 48% of consumers aged 16-24 now preferring to shop by using apps. Apps have the capacity to provide offers based on consumers’ location and 40% of UK consumers said they are eager to offer their location in exchange for better results.

The growing smartphone adoption also fuels consumers’ interest in mobile payment options. Online wallets are already popular with 31% of UK shoppers, while contactless technology has been accepted as a reliable and easy payment method by 12% of the population.

The results from the research are based on a survey amongst 1,000 UK consumers and was carried out in May.