Survey: Customers embrace mobile, seek improvements

Teaneck, N.J. –- Consumers have embraced the use of mobile devices for shopping, but are less than fully satisfied with the current mobile retail experience. According to a new survey of more than 5,000 shoppers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and China from IT services and consulting firm Cognizant, 91% of shoppers have a mobile device, 78% have researched products on a mobile device before purchasing in the last year, and 42% of shoppers reported regularly researching products on a mobile device.



More than half of shoppers (52%) have made a purchase on a mobile device, but fewer than half (45%) of shoppers reported being satisfied with retailer’s mobile offerings and only 38% reported being satisfied with their mobile shopping experience to date.



Also, 65% of shoppers reported being open to using mobile coupons, and 28% said they were more likely to use a mobile than traditional coupon.



Looking at omnichannel retail trends, the survey found that 69% of shoppers named competitive pricing as their top want across channels. The top three factors influencing shoppers making online purchases were: ease of finding information (72%), ease of returning products (71%) and fast and easy checkout (66%), while 63% of shoppers also reported that they prefer self-service options.



Other notable findings included:



• 86% of shoppers reported regular use of social media, but a majority dislike retailers’ social media tactics.



• 83% report disliking retailers using social to personalize experiences, 81% dislike product recommendations made based on social network preferences, and 79% dislike retailers attempting to influence purchasing decisions.



• 75% of shoppers reported regularly using Facebook, but only 16% reported regularly using Pinterest.



• About half of shoppers (51%) would respond positively to personalized marketing when it leads to improved services, and 54% reported they would respond to personalized experiences that offer them special treatment.



• Despite a want for personalization, shoppers are unwilling to share certain personal information, including credit card information (69%), social networks (68%) and household information (64%).



• The top three pieces of information shoppers are willing to share are loyalty program information (43%), personal preferences (33%) and birthday (29%).



• 92% of shoppers reported belonging to at least one loyalty program, and 75% belong to up to 10



• Although 62% of shoppers reported thinking loyalty programs are beneficial, only 26% believe retailers have compelling loyalty programs.