Indian shoppers are
increasingly using their mobiles to look for information regarding products,
with almost 40 per cent preferring their handheld devices to a sales assistant
in a store, a study by global market insight and information group TNS has revealed.
According to TNS's 2013 annual Mobile Life study, 42 per cent consumers in
India seek advice from friends and family while shopping, while checking
product reviews on social media stands at a mere 2.4 per cent.
Mobile Life is a global study, which draws on behaviours, motivations and priorities of 38,000 mobile users. The study was conducted across 43 countries between November 20, 2012 and February 4, 2013. "Having knowledgeable sales staff on hand is no guarantee of success, with two-fifth (39.7 per cent) consumers in India preferring to access information on their phone than speak to a sales assistant in store, compared to almost a third of people globally," the study said. However, the study added that reading reviews or checking social media while in a store to inform their decision making by consumers stands at 2.4 per cent in India compared to 16 per cent globally. "42 per cent Indian consumers prefer asking friends and family what they would recommend buying. This is in line with 49 per cent in emerging Asian markets and much higher when compared to such consumers globally (25 per cent)," it added. Another interesting point which the study revealed is that mobiles can play a valuable role in reducing the risk that 'showrooming' poses to retailers.
Showrooming refers to a phenomenon where consumers visit stores only to test products, but buy them later elsewhere.
Showrooming has emerged as a significant threat to the high street in recent years, with one-third of mobile users globally admitting to such a behaviour, it added. "Among those who showroom, two-thirds use their phone whilst doing so, providing a major opportunity for brands to interact with consumers via mobile and turn browsers into buyers," the study said. The study shows that people are open to engaging with brands while in a store, with 11 per cent of smartphone owners in India keen to receive mobile coupons while shopping and 14 per cent interested in apps that help them navigate the store they are in compared to one-fifth globally. 10 per cent of consumers in India are interested in a 'virtual sales assistant', compared to 13 per cent consumers globally, who will help answer their questions in-store about a particular product. "This openness to interacting does present a real opportunity for brands that get their mobile strategy right, to engage meaningfully with people at the point when they are considering a purchase," the study added.
Mobile Life is a global study, which draws on behaviours, motivations and priorities of 38,000 mobile users. The study was conducted across 43 countries between November 20, 2012 and February 4, 2013. "Having knowledgeable sales staff on hand is no guarantee of success, with two-fifth (39.7 per cent) consumers in India preferring to access information on their phone than speak to a sales assistant in store, compared to almost a third of people globally," the study said. However, the study added that reading reviews or checking social media while in a store to inform their decision making by consumers stands at 2.4 per cent in India compared to 16 per cent globally. "42 per cent Indian consumers prefer asking friends and family what they would recommend buying. This is in line with 49 per cent in emerging Asian markets and much higher when compared to such consumers globally (25 per cent)," it added. Another interesting point which the study revealed is that mobiles can play a valuable role in reducing the risk that 'showrooming' poses to retailers.
Showrooming refers to a phenomenon where consumers visit stores only to test products, but buy them later elsewhere.
Showrooming has emerged as a significant threat to the high street in recent years, with one-third of mobile users globally admitting to such a behaviour, it added. "Among those who showroom, two-thirds use their phone whilst doing so, providing a major opportunity for brands to interact with consumers via mobile and turn browsers into buyers," the study said. The study shows that people are open to engaging with brands while in a store, with 11 per cent of smartphone owners in India keen to receive mobile coupons while shopping and 14 per cent interested in apps that help them navigate the store they are in compared to one-fifth globally. 10 per cent of consumers in India are interested in a 'virtual sales assistant', compared to 13 per cent consumers globally, who will help answer their questions in-store about a particular product. "This openness to interacting does present a real opportunity for brands that get their mobile strategy right, to engage meaningfully with people at the point when they are considering a purchase," the study added.
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