Mobile at the heart of retail says IAB Global Report
Survey of mobile users in 19 countries shows mobile driving traffic in-store
• Australians more likely than global peers to purchase on mobile, highlighting strong opportunities for local retailers in grocery, electronics and homeware
Mobile shopping and purchasing have become the norm across the globe, according to “Mobile Commerce: A Global Perspective”, an in-depth survey of mobile users from 19 countries around the world, released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) at the IAB MIXX Conference. Just over three-quarters (76%) of smartphone and tablet users in APAC said they have purchased a product or service on their smartphone or tablet in the past six months. In Australia, 45% of respondents buy using a mobile device on a monthly basis and report that they make 33% of their typical monthly purchases using mobile screens.
The report found that cross-channel research and purchase are the new norm in Australia, with mobile absolutely central to the retail experience in both the physical and digital commerce worlds. The data shows that Australians comfortably move across screens and stores to purchase with 55% of purchasers using mobile to check out products on their mobile device before purchasing in-store, while 45% used their laptop or PC. 63% of respondents purchase in a store, while 50% buy on their mobile device, showing the influence mobile has in driving traffic in-store.
Vijay Solanki
Overall 79% of Australians are satisfied with their mobile commerce experience and some 59% expect to increase their spend on m-commerce in the next six months.
Australian m-commerce consumers are more likely to spend than global averages across all major categories, including for fashion, tickets, household items, digital content, apps, services and utility payments. The report highlighted considerable opportunity for Australian retailers to take advantage of consumers’ comfort moving across screens and stores, by offering more m-commerce engagement in the areas of grocery, electronics, homewares and physical entertainment.
76% of Australian mobile purchasers said that they had engaged with a mobile ad in the last six months.
Social media plays an important role. Globally sixty percent of mobile purchasers say they often discover products and services to buy on social platforms. More than one-third (36%) of mobile purchasers used social media to share their mobile purchase experience.
Vijay Solanki, CEO of IAB Australia, commented: “Whether it’s purchasing on a mobile device, or searching for more information before buying in store, mobile is a critical platform to drive sales and support today’s consumer retail experience. Retailers and their agencies would be well advised to build clear consumer journey maps and explore mobile strategy options including mobile-optimised websites as a minimum, and mobile apps, financial tech to make it easier and safer to buy on mobile devices and the better use of data to drive future mobile commerce growth.”