An increase in smartphone adoption and usage is giving retailers and brands with substantial new opportunities to target shoppers – at any time or any place, according to new research.
The survey of 1,000 household shopping decision makers, from retail and shopper marketing agency Savvy Marketing, examines the latest shopper attitudes and trends towards smartphones and takes a closer look at ownership and usage in relation to browsing and purchasing.
The research reveals that 93 percent of smartphone owners now access the internet using their phones and 57 percent have bought products using their phones, presenting substantial new opportunities for retailers and brands to target shoppers not only while they’re in stores or logged in at their computers, but at any time or any place.
Alastair Lockhart, Head of Insight at Savvy Marketing commented: “In the past, retailers and brand owners have had to wait until people were in ‘shopper mode’ – either in a store or sat at their computer, before they could sell to them. However, the proliferation of smartphones now means that shoppers are constantly connected and can literally be inspired to buy a product at any time or any place. This is a trend we call ubiquitous shopping.”
The research suggests that despite the portable nature of mobile phones, a lot of smartphone-based internet browsing currently takes place at shoppers’ homes – 85 percent of respondents said they do this. Of particular note, 60 percent of shoppers said they’d accessed the internet on their phone while watching TV, confirming the continuing rise of so-called ‘second-screening’- where people interact with TV content using their phones.
Outside of the home, shoppers are most likely to be online while commuting (51 percent), at a bar/pub (45 percent) and at work (42 percent).
Crucially for retailers, 36 percent of shoppers are increasingly using their phones to access the internet while they’re out shopping.
Not just for buying
The research also investigated how shoppers use their phone to help them plan grocery shopping trips. It found that 45 percent of shoppers use their phones to look for product information, 34 percent use it to check the location of a store and 33 percent have looked up prices. Shoppers are also increasingly using their phones to seek out discount vouchers – mentioned by just of one-quarter of those in the survey.
“This trend is forcing retailers, brands and marketers to change the way they think about shopping and advertising. With shoppers now able to buy products from their favourite retailers at pretty much at any time, traditional advertising should no longer only be about building awareness and love of brands, it should be actively encouraging a purchase. Increasingly the path to purchase is not about a linear shopping experience that involves someone walking around a supermarket, the path to purchase is simply the way that people live their lives – inspiration can hit at any time and they should be able to buy at any time.” Lockhart concludes.
Key findings:
Smartphone Ownership:
• 68 percent of shoppers questioned now own a smartphone. 70 percent of males and 66 percent of females own one
• 18-24 year olds own the most smartphones (86 percent), closely followed by 25-34 year olds (85 percent). The downward trend continues as age groups mature, however it’s noteworthy that 42 percent of 65 to 74 year olds also own a smartphone
• Waitrose shoppers are most likely to own a smartphone (75 percent). Tesco, ASDA and Sainsbury’s shoppers were very similar in terms of ownership with 68, 68 and 69 percent respectively. Smartphone ownership at both Morrison’s and the Co-Op stands at 64 percent.
Smartphone Usage (during the past 12 months):
• 85 percent of shoppers who own a smartphone now browse the internet on their smartphone at home. 60 percent said that they also did so whilst watching the television
• 51 percent said that they browsed whilst travelling/commuting and 45 percent trawl whilst in a pub or bar
• 42 percent also carried on their browsing whilst at work
• 36 percent did so in a supermarket and 36 percent said in other shops
• Just seven percent said they did not use their smartphone to access the Internet at all.
For purchasing products:
• 43 percent of UK shoppers haven’t bought any products via their smartphone in the past 12 months
• Of those that have made purchases: 24 percent have done so to buy clothing or footwear, 23 percent for music/video, 22 percent for books, 19 percent electrical goods, 16 percent food/drink or groceries and just nine percent to make furniture purchases
For planning or buying food, drink or groceries:
o The most popular reason for using a smartphone for planning or buying food, drink or groceries was to look up product information (45 percent). Second in line with 34 percent was to look up the location of a store. In third place was to carry out a price check (33 percent).
o Interestingly 30 percent of shoppers haven’t used their smartphones for any of the types of activities listed
For visiting and using app and mobile websites:
o Ebay and Amazon apps and sites are the most popular destinations with shoppers (48 percent each)
o Second in popularity is the Tesco or Clubcard mobile app with 23 percent
o The Sainsbury’s or Nectar app took third place with 20 percent
Methodolgy:
Savvy Marketing conduct a regular a bi-monthly shopper panel survey of 1,000 shoppers. Conducted online the survey investigates the latest shopper attitudes and trends among the household’s shopping decision makers aged 18-74 (from a nationally represented sample).
Source: www.getsavvy.com