More than half of UK smartphone owners have already bought something using their phone, but while the retail industry remains fragmented in its approach to how to offer mobile services to customers – offering m-web, apps, vouchers, buying clubs and social media – most consumers are not going to get what they want.
So warns shopping club Glamoo, which has conducted a survey of UK smartphone users and their m-retail experiences and future plans. The company has found that 52% of smartphone owners want to shop on their devices – which equates to 7million people in the UK – while 53% said they were put off by a site that was difficult to use on their mobile, despite the quality of the products.
The study also finds that mobile transcends retail verticals, with 50% of Smartphone owners saying they have shopped, or would like to shop, for fashion and accessories, while 59% have bought, or would like to by buy, services related to eating out. Events and culture was one of the most popular sectors with a huge 64% of Smartphone owners wanting to shop through their mobile for items relating to this vertical market.
The good news is that demand for mobile shopping services is not just limited to the young. Of those that wanted to shop for items and services relating to Events and Culture, 39% were aged between 35 and 54, while 36% were aged over 55. Of those that wanted to purchase items related to eating out, 43% were aged over 55. This is good news for retailers as the older demographic makes up a large portion of affluent shoppers with higher disposable incomes ready to spend on mobile shopping.
The Glamoo study goes on to suggest that the m-retailing space is highly fragmented, with a vast and confusing array of services on offer to consumers from those that are involved in mobile, and a deafening silence from many key retailers who should be, but aren’t.
Glamoo CEO, Simone Ranucci Brandimarte says: “Our task is to educate retailers about the opportunity and give them a system that requires virtually no technical work from them. It’s a very simple and flexible set-up for retailers. We can integrate their systems into ours very quickly. We also provide the most up-to-date social and location based services making sure retailers can meet consumer demand for this technology. Glamoo members are not just looking for a one-off bargain; they want to buy luxury products and while discounts are a great way to encourage these affluent shoppers to try something new, they are more likely to convert into valuable, returning customers.”
With 31% of Smartphone owners claiming they don’t shop on their mobile simply because their chosen brands don’t support mobile shopping, many retailers are clearly missing out on a big sales opportunity. Glamoo wants to make sure this changes by helping retailers prepare for the shopping future and protect their profits.
