UK SHOPPERS USE SMARTPHONES TO BUY TIME.

The UK has more mobiles than people  and, according to the most recent review of mobile buying behaviour, in which Glamoo surveyed 4,000 individuals, 26% were already in possession of a Smartphone. 75% of these were prepared to use theirs to save time by shopping for everything from groceries to trips abroad.

Surprisingly, it was revealed that 21% of smartphone users already shop on their mobiles at least once a week. 59% said the main reason for this was purely to save time, whilst 31% cited convenience as the main driver.  In our time-starved society, people are making the most of their downtime, with 42% turning to shopping on their mobiles when in the passenger seat of a car, and 28% squeezing every second from their day by shopping on their daily commute.

Some differences between the sexes were also exposed by the exclusive survey, which included proof that women are bigger on sharing.  Almost half of the women asked said they would pass on a good deal to friends and family, whilst a quarter of men would do the same. Of the people who said they would be driven to purchase by local offers, a significant 69% were men, suggesting men are more prone to a quick and easy bargain. 

Simone Ranucci Brandimarte, CEO of Glamoo commented: “The generation of mobile shoppers (GOMS) has arrived. We can reveal that 29% of 18-34 years olds are potentially the most prolific mobile shoppers and the south east has the highest penetration of mobile purchasers in the UK at 20%. We can also disclose that there is a high potential for whoever will launch mobile commerce offers.”

However, despite the willingness of consumers to join the uprising, there are still some factors putting some people off.  Almost 60% said that payment security and difficult to use websites acted as deterrents when shopping on a mobile, with 70% of security conscious shoppers opting for PayPal as the favourite method of payment.  Retailers and brands can seize this opportunity to get mobile-ready and attract new customers. In the run up to the Christmas shopping season, consumers have shown an interest in using their mobiles for anything from grocery shopping to buying gifts.  Half of those with smartphones said that they would buy a present on their phone this year and 44% of women would use their mobile to send a gift directly.  The convenience of the mobile has offered the busy modern lifestyle some support and it looks as though the way we shop is going to continue to change and at a rapid speed.