For marketers, the challenge is to define the path to purchase for their customers given that there are a myriad of possibilities in the multi-screen world and the path to purchase may vary vastly for different segments. It’s not just what consumers do that is important; it is also how, when and why they do it. The timing, location, and intensity of consumer behavior indicate levels of involvement within the path to purchase and opportunities for marketers to engage. Digital marketers need to take a hard look at the behavioral data to get actionable insight into how consumers arrive at their purchase decision.

The key findings from a study “Mobile vs Desktop Shopping Trends & Implications” shared by Millward Brown Digital and recommendations for Marketers require them to look at behavioral data to ensure the mobile shopping behavior is built into the plans. Shopper Marketing is not only about creating great retail experiences to engage audiences online,it has become increasingly imperative for retailers to optimize mobile sites and to be present where the shoppers are.

Though mobile browsers are more popular for most retailers, App is the most preferred way to access Walmart.com,which clearly shows the retailers success with one of the most popular apps.

Amazon has trumped its own success in Desktop with mobile contributing to 69 percent of all Mobile visits in the retail category.

 

 

Mobile is more popular with shoppers with majority of shoppers preferring to return via the mobile site.

Mobile search and page visits with the browsers require retailers to optimize their sites and make it search friendly.

 

 

Millward Brown Digital analyzed consumer shopping behavior across ten of the leading US online retailers from January through June of 2014 and found the cross-shopping between Amazon.com and its rival retailers to be greater on mobile than desktop. In simple words it means, Amazon’s spillover onto other retailers is much higher on mobile devices. For example, 32% of mobile visitors to Amazon.com also visit Walmart.com, compared to just 24% on the desktop – a difference of 33%.

 

Key Takeaways For Retailers

Marketers need full visibility into consumers’ path to purchase, inclusive of mobile, to allow them to best align resources and strategy to optimize their shopper touch points.
When done right, the mobile shopping experience complements rather than threatens desktop shopping.
Marketers that focus on the need state of their mobile shoppers will succeed in creating new experiences that enrich rather than frustrate shoppers.
Amazon’s strength can be a blessing in disguise for savvy rivals and brands.

 

Source: Millward Brown Digital