Apple and Target Best in Mobile Shopping, Finds New Consumer Satisfaction Study From Mobiquity

Poor Design and User Experience Causes 50 Percent of Shoppers to Abandon Retailers' Mobile Apps and Sites


BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Dec 11, 2013) - With Christmas just 14 days away and mobile shopping in full swing, new research reveals that 48 percent of smartphone shoppers and 50 percent of tablet shoppers will abandon a retail brand altogether if they have a poor mobile shopping experience. "The 2013 Mobile Shopping Satisfaction Report" by mobile engagement provider Mobiquity (www.mobiquityinc.com) found that Target is now the most-browsed mobile app/site, and Apple's mobile app/site is where consumers purchase the most -- both usurping Wal-Mart's prior top position in Mobiquity's 2012 study. Mobiquity commissioned ResearchNow to study the mobile shopping experiences of 1,000 consumers at 20 of the top retail brands. The second-annual report can be downloaded here and an infographic illustrating the findings can be found here.

Compared to Mobiquity's 2012 study of retail brands' mobile apps and sites, the volume of mobile shopping has increased significantly in 2013, in some cases even tripling. For example, in 2012, 14 percent of consumers shopped at Apple using smartphones; in 2013, this soared to 49 percent. And then it comes to 2013 holiday gift shopping, 49 percent said they they'll spending $100 or more using smartphone apps -- a sharp increase from last year's 23 percent.

Design and user experience (UX) problems cause abandoned mobile shopping carts

Mobiquity's 2013 research revealed that issues with the design and user experience of retailers' mobile apps and sites are the leading causes of shoppers giving up on a brand. By comparison, in 2012, slow-loading mobile apps and sites were shoppers' chief complaint. The new study found that:

  • 50 percent of shoppers complained that shopping on retailers' tablet apps involves too many steps
  • 49 percent said they couldn't find the products they were looking for on retailers' tablet sites
  • Images were too difficult to see on 41 percent of smartphone sites and 35 percent of retailers' smartphone apps

Only nine percent of respondents think that the mobile shopping experience is better than online. By contrast, 35 percent think it is worse.

Mobile drives traffic in-store
The study also found that mobile browsing does not always lead to mobile shopping. In fact, after browsing retailers' mobile apps and sites, 35 percent of consumers went on to complete their purchase in-store. Fewer than 16 percent completed purchases on smartphones. Forty percent did not complete a purchase after browsing on a mobile device.

"Mobile shopping has grown exponentially year-on-year but the mobile experience still has a long way to go before it comes close to matching or surpassing online shopping," said Andrew Hiser, chief creative officer, Mobiquity. "Until retailers fix their design and UX issues, they will continue to leave money on the table."

To access the full report, please visit: www.mobiquityinc.com/retail-mobile-sat-report-2

To access the infographic, please visit: www.mobiquityinc.com/retail-mobile-sat-infographic-2

Methodology
From Nov. 6-11, 2013, ResearchNow surveyed 1,000 consumers who use smartphones and tablets and evaluated their experiences shopping at 20 brick-and-mortar retailers selected from among STORES Magazine's top 100 and Favorite 50 lists of retailers.

About Mobiquity
Mobiquity is a mobile engagement provider creating innovative solutions that drive business value. Because mobile is in our DNA, clients benefit from how we expertly and effectively blend the three key disciplines that unleash the power and innovation of mobile computing: strategy, user-centered design and core technology. Since inception in 2011, we have worked with more than 150 companies, including CVS, Fidelity Investments, MetLife, the New York Post, Putnam Investments, The Boston Globe, The Weather Channel and Weight Watchers International. To learn more, visit www.mobiquityinc.com.