Consumers Go Mobile For Smart-Device Research

When researching which mobile device to buy next, consumers are appropriately turning to their favorite device: their mobile phone.

Results from a new study show consumers are turning to mobile to lead the shopping process, eMarketer reported. The data shows that consumers reported choosing mobile as their research device 51 percent of the time, compared to 40 percent who turn to tablets. When looking to buy a computer, the data is split between smartphone shoppers and tablet shoppers, who both reported using their device 31 percent of the time for research. Not surprisingly, researching via mobile phones also topped going to the physical store to check out new devices (23 percent), and relying on friends or family’s advice was even less when it came to researching smart devices (13 percent of respondents). The data reported by eMarketer came from a February study conducted by YouGov.

Also in the study was a review of deals and promotion and how it relates to mobile ads, which 56 percent of consumers credited as the driving force behind purchasing a new smartphone, tablet, or smart wearable device. A majority of those surveyed said mobile ads on smart devices played a role in their smartphone purchase or influenced them to change brands. But the research doesn’t have a positive outlook for mobile ads that direct consumers to stores.

“Despite consumer interest in mobile local search, only one-quarter found mobile ads with store locators interesting. Just one-fifth thought mobile ads with share functionality were interesting, and native ads were the least popular, cited by only 17 percent,” eMarketer reported.