This week, Deloitte Digital has predicted that mobile will influence £15billion in-store sales in 2012m. The survey of more than 2,000 consumers highlights how mobile devices are being used by shoppers. Mark Haviland, MD, Rakuten LinkShare UK, the world’s largest affiliate network, working with hundreds of retailers in response to the news.
Key statistics of the Deloitte report include:
• Almost half (46%) of UK smartphone owners have used their device to research product information before or during a shopping trip
• 6% of in-store retail sales will be influenced by smartphone use, equivalent to £15.2bn of sales per year. This is almost double the value of direct purchases made through mobile, which Deloitte puts at £8bn in 2012
• Almost three-quarters (74%) of UK shoppers that visited a retailer’s mobile website or app during their most recent shopping trip made a purchase.
News that such a large amount of sales are being made in store as a result of the mobile channel is proof that smartphones should be central to every retailer’s marketing strategy.
The fact that nearly half of all smartphone users use their device to research products when shopping shows that today’s shopper is hungry for information; consumers are using 3G and in-store wi-fi and are habitually comparing prices and products using their smartphones.
Shoppers are taking time to mull over purchases, so a mobile presence is vital for retailers to be considered at this ‘research’ stage of the purchasing journey.
In our own network we carry out mobile testing so that retailers who work with us can track sales made through the mobile channel.
We have noticed that progressive brands are investigating and developing in-store mobile solutions for their customers, and there are a growing number of interesting partners within the affiliate space that can help these brands re-double their progress.
Mobile is now equally integral to both the online and offline shopping experience and with Christmas on the horizon investing in a mobile campaign will be extremely worthwhile.”
By Mark Haviland
MD
Rakuten LinkShare UK
http://www.linkshare.co.uk/
