A new report sampling shoppers globally has concluded more people are relying on their mobile devices to make shopping decisions.
The research, named “The Mobile Shopper: A 2013 Draftfcb Global Shopper Snapshot”, interviewed over 7,500 people across the world, including in the US, UK, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, Middle East (UAE. and Saudi Arabia), India and China.
The report reveals shoppers are attached to their mobile devices for both emotional and functional reasons. About 72 per cent of the respondents said they “can’t live without” their mobile devices.
“As such, it is a shopping companion, an indispensable resource and gateway to brands, ideas and retail,” the report said.
The report also indicates the mobile shopping trend has caught up well in markets like South Africa where mobile technology has overtaken traditional methods such as home-based online connectivity.
“Mobile tends to turn everyone into shoppers,” said Janet Rose, PhD, SVP director of retail strategic planning at Draftfcb. “At the same time, it transforms shopping into a richer experience.”
“This has huge implications for both brands and retailers,” said Debra Coughlin, global chief marketing officer of Draftfcb, who commissioned the study. “The biggest challenge for marketers is to provide these ever more empowered consumers with the type of experiences that matter. Those who can do this effectively will win.”
