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Retailers lose a third of consumers after they check their smartphone in-store, study warns

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A third of consumers change their mind about buying a product after searching for details on their mobile when in-store, while a fifth of people decide to buy elsewhere after viewing the product on their mobile, 22% decide to buy online and a fifth change their mind about purchasing the item all together.

So finds startling pan-European research from Tradedoubler across nine countries that demonstrate just how easily a consumer’s purchasing can be swayed.

Worryingly, only 19% of consumers complete the purchase cycle in-store, a statistic that traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers need to take note of as mobile use in the purchasing journey continues to increase. Recent results from IMRG and professional services firm Capgemini found that 32% of UK online sales in the final quarter of 2013 were made on mobile devices, a rise from 27% in the previous three-month period.

“Our research demonstrates that the smartphone clearly influences consumers’ in-store shopping behaviour, with more than half of shoppers changing the way they have bought something as a result of using a smartphone,” said Dan Cohen, regional director UK and Ireland at Tradedoubler. “Despite this, it is clear that many high street stores with a physical presence are still failing to provide a seamless and fully integrated omnichannel experience for consumers, which is why both on and offline competitors are still managing to influence shoppers even while in-store.

“Retailers need to remember that a smartphone-using consumer in their store is someone who is already interested in making a purchase from them. By providing targeted online offers, vouchers or coupons that can be redeemed in-store, they can help ensure in-store mobile consumers are converted to in-store customers.”

The Tradedoubler research also shows that the smartphone has a key influence on consumers wherever they are. Almost half (45 per cent of respondents) use their smartphone for browsing while commuting, 49 per cent when at work, 52 per cent in a café or bar, and 44 per cent whilst shopping.

“The results reveal that the age of the omniconsumer is with us, and with 47 per cent of shoppers now turning to their smartphones to compare prices, mobile forms an integral part of the shopping cycle,” continued Cohen. “Mobile should no longer be seen as a threat by retailers, but as a fantastic opportunity to increase both online and in-store sales.

“The power of the smartphone lies in its ability to inform, influence and advise, as well as being a valuable medium to complete the final purchase. Those that intelligently fuse mobile technology and online shopping activity with that of the physical store, will ensure their brand is not lost amongst the competition, and convert consumers, into customers, wherever and whenever they are.”

To find out more download TradeDoubler’s white paper here

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