Does mobile drive shopping? Well, it depends.
According to research Google and Ipsos conducted over the 2011 holiday period, smartphone devices play a role at different parts of consumers’ paths to purchase, but they do so in different ways for different people.
For example, 41 percent of those who used their mobile phones to help with shopping said they purchase directly from the device itself, while 37 percent claimed to have researched on a phone before purchasing on a desktop. Meanwhile, 46 percent of respondents said they’ve researched items on a smartphone before going in the store to buy, and, interestingly, 19 percent have researched products both on a smartphone and in-store before purchasing online.
An interesting point to note from the 600-person survey is the number of users that went in-store to research but opted to purchase online instead. This likely reflects the cheaper price-points often offered online, but it suggests consumers still like to see products in person before committing to a purchase.
More in Media
WTF is headless browsing, and how are AI agents fueling it?
AI agents are putting headless browsing back in the spotlight. For media companies, that raises questions: How much traffic is real vs. automated?
How People Inc. is prioritizing traffic and revenue diversification to prepare for AI era
People Inc is preparing for AI’s impact on search and content discovery by focusing on traffic and revenue diversification and direct to consumer relationships.
One year in, Business Insider’s AI onsite search is boosting engagement
Although Business Insider’s AI search tool is currently only used by roughly one percent of Business Insider’s readership, it has significantly increased the engagement of those who do use the tool, with click-through to articles increasing by 50 percent since October.