Study: How often is mobile used in-store?

The image of shoppers hunched over their mobile devices while they browse store shelves may be less common than retailers imagine.



According to a new survey of 9,142 online consumers in the U.S. and Canada conducted by Bizrate Insights, a division of Connexity Inc., three-quarters (73%) of online buyers use mobile devices to shop online. However, only one in five (21%) use mobile devices to assist their in-store shopping experience. Mobile devices include both smartphones and tablets.



When online consumers do use mobile devices in-store, it is not always to the benefit of the retailer they are visiting. Sixty-three percent who use mobile devices in-store look for competitors’ coupons and prices. Fifty-eight percent compare a retailer’s in-store and online prices and coupons.



Some online consumers use mobile devices to begin the in-store shopping process before leaving home. Thirty-nine percent check that an item is in stock before visiting a local store.



“The 58% who look for better prices and coupons while in your store highlights how important it is for retailers to offer consistent pricing and discounts across channels," said Hayley Silver, VP of Bizrate Insights.