Dive Brief:
- Twenty-five percent of online shoppers plan to use a smartphone to shop online this holiday season, according to a recent survey from The NPD Group. Just two years ago, 19% of shoppers reported doing so.
-
One out of five online purchases will be picked up in stores, and those who use smartphones to shop online are more likely to use buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) services, the survey found.
-
Twenty-two percent of consumers used an app to pay for holiday purchases in stores last year, and 39% of those consumers plan to use apps more often this holiday season.
Dive Insight:
NPD Group found that more than three-quarters of consumers will shop online this holiday season, but stores still have a place in shoppers' holiday plans. While they may compare products and read reviews on a laptop or desktop screen at home, smartphone access allows them to take that research into the store.
A March report from BRP found that 63% of consumers rely on their phones when shopping in-store for comparing prices, looking up coupons and checking inventory. Forty-one percent of respondents to that survey planned to increase their frequency of mobile shopping in the next two years.
A separate report from BRP found that 41% of retailers are "polishing" their mobile shopping experience, and 59% of retailers are working to make their branding consistent across channels. "The consumer's adoption of mobile shopping can lead them to the store, where most impulse spending takes place," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser at The NPD Group. A convenient experience both online and in-store can encourage BOPIS transactions, which may influence additional in-store transactions.
As shoppers grow more and more comfortable using their smartphones to make purchases, retailers are embracing opportunities to reach them through those devices. While integrations like Instagram checkout reduce friction at point of purchase, these platforms also serve as a place to build brand recognition through early customer touchpoints.
