New study finds that over half of smartphone and tablet users shop via mobile every week
Almost two-thirds of smartphone and tablet users access websites on a daily basis and over a half shop via their mobile device at least once a week, new research has revealed.
However, the mobile e-commerce experience was found to be falling short of expectations, with half of shoppers admitting that they often encounter problems.
The survey of 1,000 UK smartphone and tablet owners by e-commerce and digital marketing solutions provider EPiServer shows the biggest bugbear for shoppers using mobile sites is loading speed.
Other issues raised included having to navigate both horizontally and vertically to view the page, difficulty logging in, and links that are too small. In addition, one in five smartphone and tablet users said they found it difficult to complete transactions on a mobile device.
The study suggests that retailers risk losing business by not meeting mobile expectations, with 54% of consumers leaving the mobile site when they run into difficulty and 28% turning to a competitor.
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The research also reveals that using a tablet or smartphone is not necessarily a ‘mobile’ experience. While 80% of respondents said they browsed the web on a tablet at home, 12% browsed on public transport and 10% on the high street.
Similarly, 62% of smartphone users said they accessed the web through their phones at home with 33% using the web on public transport, 25% on the high street and 14% in the car.
David Bowen, product manager, EPiServer, said: “Our research shows that mobile devices are becoming the first choice for accessing a website or app, regardless of location. As a result, the mobile experience becomes critical to any business’s web strategy, as today’s mobile-savvy consumer becomes less forgiving and expects mobile sites and apps to offer all the functionality they are used to on a desktop. ‘Mobile first’ is rapidly becoming the most sensible strategy for any e-commerce business.”
