December 9, 2010
Mobile Changes European Christmas Shopping Habits
- Two Thirds of European Consumers Expect to Use Their Mobile For Christmas Shopping and Organising Celebrations This Year -
London, Paris and Berlin: XX December, 2010 - The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com) and research partner, Lightspeed Research (www.lightspeedresearch.com), today released the results of the latest Mobile Consumer Briefing regarding the expected impact of the mobile device on European consumers this Christmas. The survey of French, German and UK consumers revealed that 67% of all mobile phone owners expect to use their mobile for their Christmas shopping and organizing of celebrations this year, exclusive of making phone calls (France 82%, Germany 52% and the UK 66%). Further, over a quarter (26%) plan to use their mobile phone to assist their shopping activities more this year than they did last Christmas (France 16%, Germany 39% and the UK 23%).
The survey uncovered some of the most popular ways mobile phone owners will use their mobile phone for Christmas shopping and organizing during this time of high retail activity. A quarter (25%) of European mobile Christmas shoppers intend to use their mobile phones (France 19%, Germany 32% and the UK 24%) to search for gift ideas. More than 1 in 10 (12%) mobile Christmas shoppers plan to use their mobile phone to purchase or pay for gifts (UK 16%, Germany 14% and France 5%), demonstrating a clear opportunity for marketers to optimise their mobile marketing strategies to guide consumers.
There is a clear connection between the mobile shopping experience and traditional shopping habits with 52% of those using their phones for Christmas shopping expecting to do so before leaving for stores (France 50%, Germany 50% and the UK 56%), and over a third (39%) planning to use their phones while travelling to stores for Christmas shopping (France 39%, Germany 39% and the UK 40%). 10% of mobile Christmas shoppers will even use their device whilst in a checkout line (France 3%, Germany 14% and the UK 11%).
The survey highlighted further opportunities for brands and retailers to connect with consumers and make mobile part of the in-store experience. 15% of those using their mobile phone as part of Christmas shopping expect to search for the location or directions to a retail outlet (France 6%, Germany 20% and the UK 19%). Retailers such as Best-Buy and Tesco are among the first to tap into this opportunity, offering the functionality to locate not only stores, but also the location and information of products on shelves.
“The findings from the latest research demonstrate the growing opportunity for European retailers to readdress the mobile channel to target end users.” said Peter A. Johnson, vice president of market intelligence, MMA, and author of the study. “Consumers are now using their mobiles for a number of shopping related activities which marketers need to be aware of when optimising both their mobile and in-store retail experiences.”
“These findings demonstrate the importance of mobile devices when planning and shopping around the holiday season,” stated Ralph Risk, Lightspeed Research Marketing Director EMEA. “In the same way that 10 years ago the Internet on the desktop changed shopping habits, mobile phones are now leading the way for consumers to shop on the move. Marketers, brands and retailers that ignore or underestimate this trend risk missing out on a powerful new marketing opportunity.”
“These findings demonstrate the importance of mobile devices when planning and shopping around the holiday season,” stated Ralph Risk, Lightspeed Research Marketing Director EMEA. “In the same way that 10 years ago the Internet on the desktop changed shopping habits, mobile phones are now leading the way for consumers to shop on the move. Marketers, brands and retailers that ignore or underestimate this trend risk missing out on a powerful new marketing opportunity.”
Editor’s notes:
Conducted from October 21st -25th 2010, the research surveyed respondents in the UK, Germany and France asking mobile phone users about their usage of their mobile phone regarding their upcoming holiday shopping and planning of holiday celebrations The survey covered what they plan
Conducted from October 21st -25th 2010, the research surveyed respondents in the UK, Germany and France asking mobile phone users about their usage of their mobile phone regarding their upcoming holiday shopping and planning of holiday celebrations The survey covered what they plan
to use their phone for and where, what types of gifts would be helpful to shop for using a
mobile phone and if consumers planned to spend more or less on holiday gifts this year.
A monthly online survey of British, French and German consumers’ mobile marketing behaviours and opinions conducted on the Lightspeed Research omnibus, the MMA Mobile Consumer Briefing features input from 1,000 adult consumers in each market, screened to be demographically representative of the adult consumer population as a whole. Each Consumer Briefing includes a 2- to 3-page executive summary, all survey questions and up to 50 tables of detailed results. Survey responses are provided both in aggregate and in cross-tabulation by standard audience demographics, such as age, gender and income, as well as wireless carrier and handset manufacturer.
MMA Mobile Consumer Briefings on this topic are also available for the US market. To learn more about the MMA’s market research benefits, visit the MMA’s Research Home Page.
About the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association representing all players in the mobile marketing value chain. With more than 700 member companies, the MMA is an action-oriented organization with global focus, regional actions and local relevance. The MMA’s primary focus is to establish mobile as an indispensible part of the marketing mix. The MMA works to promote, educate, measure, guide and protect the mobile marketing industry worldwide. The MMA’s global headquarters are located in the United States and it has regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Latin America (LATAM and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches. For more information, please visit www.mmaglobal.com.
About Lightspeed Research
Lightspeed Research delivers valuable data to help clients make informed business decisions. With proprietary online panels throughout the world, our verified, engaged, and deeply profiled survey respondents can support research studies that vary in scope and complexity. Lightspeed Research’s expert Client Operations Team offers data collection services including survey design, sample management, programming, and reporting. The company has offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Lightspeed Research is part of Kantar, the information insight and consultancy division of WPP. For more information, please visit www.lightspeedresearch.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
MMA:
Jen Hibberd, Alex Moorhouse, Robert Haslam – Mi liberty
Tel: +44 (0) 207 751 4444
Lightspeed Research:
Charlotte Herbert, PR Consultant - Greenfields Communications
Tel: +44 (0) 7870 204 242
Ralph Risk, Marketing Director Europe – Lightspeed Research
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7896 1950
