Mobile Moms: How Much Does mShopping Matter?

As mobile shopping becomes more and more ubiquitous, many moms don’t view it as a value-added service: they view it as a necessity.

That’s one of the findings of a December 2012 study from Alt12, which surveyed U.S. moms who used their service to learn of their mobile preferences.

How much does mobile shopping really matter to moms? We break down the results – courtesy of eMarketer – in this PYMNTs.com Data Point.

How Much Do Moms Use Mobile?

According to the Alt12 survey, a 18.6 percent of U.S. moms said they conduct about half (40-60 percent) of their shopping on smartphones or tablets, with 34.7 percent indicating they use such devices for “some,” shopping, or 10-40 percent. Another 12.3 percent indicated they do most of their shopping this way (60-90 percent), while a full 3 percent indicated they do all their shopping via devices. About one-third, or 31.4 percent, of moms indicate they’ve yet to catch on to the mobile craze, indicating they do “none,” or nine percent or less, of their shopping with devises.

What Mobile Apps Do Moms Want Most?

Retailer apps were considered the most useful when it comes to making purchase decisions, with 60.2 percent of moms citing their importance. Forty-seven percent pointed to social networking apps, while another 20 percent highlighted both product review apps and deal site apps. Price comparison apps came in at 10.4 percent, while coupon apps and location-based apps each finished between 8 and 9 percent. Only 7 percent of moms cited the importance of photo recognition apps, and just 5.1 percent found barcode scanners useful.

What Functions Really Matter For Mobile Moms?

The study found that 47.4 percent of moms want to see reviews and ratings form other moms before making a purchase, while 24 percent said convenience – including factors such as easy access, fast shipping and easy return policies – was of paramount importance. Another 16.7 percent cited promotions and discounts, while 9.8 percent wanted recommendations from other moms. Finally, just 2.1 percent said awards or certifications that products have received were the factor that most led the purchasing.

To see more mobile mom statistics, read the full eMarketer piece here.