Mcommerce matures as a third shop on mobile phones

The majority of UK consumers now own a smart phone and almost one in five own a tablet device and consumers are increasingly using portable devices to engage with brands, find information and make purchases, a new study has found.

Two thirds of consumers have used an 'app' on a mobile device in the last twelve months with one in three saying they have made a purchase using a website on a mobile device, and a quarter have done so using an app.

But despite being keen to embrace mobile retail opportunities, the experience is not without its frustrations; as many as 35 per cent of consumers say they find logins difficult, and a further one in five say they find it hard to access the content they’re looking for.

Maria Wasing, VP of Marketing Europe & Sales Operations, for EPiServer which commissioned the study, said: “These findings show that consumers are increasingly turning to mobile websites when on the move or looking for information. The rapid development in mobile technology and the quick uptake by consumers of mobile

sites and apps means that more and more brands have the opportunity to connect with potential customers, encourage purchases and build brand loyalty.

But Wasing warned that it was crucial that marketers become aware of the mobile channel in order to maximise their online results.

  

The EPiServer study, Developing a mobile strategy: how to deliver mobile sites that truly engage, (http://www.episerver.com/mobileresearch/) reveals that more than half of consumers use mobile internet to look up directions or access social networks, 43% use the mobile web to find information about

organisations and brands while on the move, and almost a quarter use it to make online purchases.

The study of 1,000 consumers also found that they are becoming less forgiving of bad mobile experiences. A quarter said they would try a competitor if the mobile website was not working, while 64% said they’d only give a mobile website an average of three chances to work before moving on.

It’s not all bad news though, as almost half of consumers would still try to visit a company’s website from their desktop if they couldn’t use it effectively on a mobile device.