Mobile commerce is hotter than ever — just ask the tech giants Google, Facebook and Yahoo, which reported major mobile-related revenues in their recent earnings reports.
But despite the finding that 45 percent of all shopping journeys include mobile devices, mobile shoppers still see room for improvement.
That’s according to a recent report from Facebook Insights, which commissioned market research firm GfK to conduct a study of more than 2,400 adult “omnichannel shoppers.” An omnichannel shopper was someone who had researched and bought online (in categories such as clothing, consumer electronics, home appliances, home goods and beauty) using a variety of channels — mobile phones, tablets, desktops or laptops and in-store.
Researchers found that omnichannel shoppers were looking for a better mobile shopping experience. About 70 percent said the Web site or app experience, in addition to the transaction experience, could be improved.
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Shoppers reported that they’re driven to shop on a desktop or laptop because it’s easier to see the available products (56 percent of those surveyed); it’s easier to use a device with a bigger screen (55 percent); it’s difficult to compare products and retailers on a smartphone or tablet (27 percent), and entering personal data is not user-friendly on a mobile device (26 percent).
Additionally, shoppers said they preferred an in-store experience because they like to touch the products (47 percent); they don’t like to wait (46 percent); shipping costs too much (41 percent), and it’s relaxing and enjoyable (25 percent).
Researchers recommended that retailers looking to attract more mobile customers should make it easier to enter payment information, offer multiple shipping options and allow consumers to complete a transaction without downloading an app.
Still, 60 percent of omnichannel shoppers say they’ll either start purchasing or will purchase more on their phones in 2016, and 64 percent think that they will do more shopping research on their phones.
When they did make a purchase, 56 percent said they did so because they were already using a mobile device, and they can do it anywhere and any time. Sometimes, that even means while they are in the store. Researchers found that 61 percent of omnichannel shoppers plan to use their phones more while in physical stores this year.
In a post, Facebook recommended that retailers not underestimate the impact of mobile. “Viewing the path to purchase through separate channels — mobile versus desktop versus off-line — doesn’t reflect the way the world is changing. The rise in m-commerce presents brands with a chance to rewrite the rules of success by adapting to change and building a future-ready business.”