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Consumers use mobile devices for shopping but concerned about security and ease – Survey
19 August 2010 , Written by Dhruv Tanwar
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A survey commissioned by AT&T company Sterling Commerce and Demandware Inc. has found that consumers are increasingly adopting mobile devices for shopping, even as they continue to harbor concerns about security and ease-of-use that can potentially threaten progress of mobile shopping.


Sterling Commerce and Demandware, Inc. have announced the findings of a new retail study examining consumer preferences and attitudes surrounding mobile shopping.

mobile_shoppingIn their study, the companies found that while consumers are increasingly turning to mobile devices to add depth and convenience to their in-store shopping experience, significant concerns around security and ease-of-use could threaten progress.

This online survey was conducted by SmartRevenue in June/July 2010 and surveyed 3,611 male and female consumers, aged 18 and older, living in the U.S.  It reveals that 15 percent of consumers have used their mobile devices to make purchases.  While nearly all (96.2 percent) consumers surveyed own a mobile phone, just under half owned a smart phone (that are designed to deliver a more optimal shopping experience).  

Some of the interesting trends surrounding how consumers are looking to their mobile device to support their in-store shopping experience revealed by the survey are:

  • Over 60 percent believe that being able to use their mobile phone while shopping to verify product availability at a particular store location is important.
  • A quarter of shoppers surveyed use their phone while in a store to competitively price shop an item.
  • Around 20 percent of consumers currently use their phones to create shopping lists or baskets, and slightly higher number would be interested in a mobile app to help with shopping list or basket management for their favorite retailers.
  • Two thirds are interested in the possibility of using their mobile phone to scan and purchase items, thus enabling them to bypass checkout lines.
  • A quarter of shoppers believe receiving specials/promotions (such as coupons) would be an important use for their mobile phone when shopping, although they were less enthusiastic about receiving advertising via their phones.

 

Other findings of the survey highlighted consumers’ concerns around security and ease-of-use with mobile devices.  Respondents cited the following concerns:

  • Internet non-connectivity (40 percent),
  • Difficulty with the small screen size (34 percent) and therefore difficulty in visualizing the products (31 percent),
  • Security issues (28 percent),
  • Slow interaction with the retailer website (22 percent), and
  • Difficulties in entering information due to a small keypad (21 percent).

 

 

 

 

Although security issues were mentioned as a concern by only 28 percent of respondents, the top solutions that would encourage more mobile phone purchases all deal with security.
  • Nearly half of consumers would like the option of using PayPal.
  • Nearly 40 percent would feel secure knowing that the mobile phone app would not store their credit card number.
  • A quarter of consumers would prefer that the mobile phone would only show a truncated credit card number (last 4 digits), and
  • About 20 percent would like to be prompted to enter their 3-digit credit card security number.
 

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