Purchases through mobile devices come of age in India: Yahoo-Mindshare research

The research 'Mobile Consumer Journey - 2016' shows that  90% of users use only mobile phones to buy music, movies and travel, and 79% of consumers browsing for products on mobile devices are likely to buy them on phone

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | May 20, 2016

Yahoo and Mindshare's joint research on the usage of mobile devices in the Indian market finds that 90% of users use only mobile phones to buy music, movies and travel. Also, 79% of consumers browsing for products on mobile devices are likely to buy them on a phone.

One can clearly make out the dominance of mobile devices in consumer purchase behaviour. The study is based on research of users' shopping behaviour across devices for 31 different categories including travel, electronic devices and consumer packaged goods.

MA Parthasarathy

Commenting on the findings, MA Parthasarathy, Chief Product Officer, Mindshare South Asia, said, “The e-commerce landscape in India is perhaps the most dynamic in the world, largely due to the rapidly evolving mobile ecosystem. This research highlights the role of mobile from the top of the funnel to the bottom and how it varies across product categories. It will help us develop sharper, more connected communication strategies for brands.”

The study aims to equip marketers with insights on India, to sharpen their digital and mobile commerce initiatives and build a strong mobile strategy. The study throws light on the role of mobile in a consumer's purchase journey: how the devices get used in different stages, key drivers and barriers to the final purchase decision, consumers' preferences of how to buy and where to buy, top selling categories on mobile and cities that see the most mobile transactions.

Francis Che, Head of Insights, APAC, Yahoo, said, “The study shows that the consumer path-to-purchase is turning more complex and non-linear, with mobile at the centre of this evolution. As mobile devices become more important in the consumer's last mile of the purchase decision, brands need to build targeted, more seamless shopping experience across all channels to strengthen sales and acquire new customers.”

Some other findings:

• 31% of the online shoppers use mobile phones to save time
• 28% of the online shoppers claim that they shop through mobile phones to avail offers and discounts
• 21% of people shop via phones because they find it convenient.

The study says there are barriers in online shopping which restrict shopping without hindrance. For example, non-authentic goods, unreliable delivery and lack of quality control.

A city-wise break-up for mobile transactions shows that 75% online shoppers in Kolkata are open to mobile transactions followed by Chennai with 64% and Delhi with 57%. Surprisingly, online shoppers in metros like Mumbai and Bangalore seem more 'cautiously open' with less than 35% of them preferring mobile transactions over another mode of payments.

Out of a total number of consumers browsing for products on mobile, 79% prefer buying on a mobile device compared to 9% on PC or laptop and 12% in a physical store. Therefore, one can see a trend that by creating awareness about online shopping, one can connect and engage with their target audiences on mobile devices.

The study also finds that:

• Over 90% of consumers use mobile devices for quick and frequent purchases of travel, music and movies
• 36% consumers prefer buying high-consideration products like Insurance on their PC/ Laptop. 24% consumers prefer buying health supplements on PC/ Laptop
• Categories with significant in-store purchases include Personal Hygiene (30%) and Luxury Accessories (27%).

According to the research, top categories ranked by the number of consumers buying them on mobile over other modes include apparel, electronic devices, baby and pet care products.

Users are less likely to buy financial services products on mobile as they see these as more complex purchase decisions.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com