Mobile owners who shop on their devices tend to favor electronics and entertainment items, though also gravitate towards apparel, details BuzzCity [pdf] in new survey results. The online survey of more than 3,000 mobile users across 20 countries found that while only 27% have purchased gifts on mobiles, 29% were considering doing so. Electronics (43%) and entertainment (38%) items topped the list of planned gift purchase items, followed by clothing (22%), children’s toys (10%) and housewares (9%). The researchers note that the list of items planned for purchase via mobile is expanding, as mobile users also looked to buy experiences/activities (8%), food (8%) and vouchers (7%).
Prior research supports BuzzCity’s findings. For example, an August 2012 survey from Apigee revealed that among mobile app users considering purchasing holiday gifts on a mobile device, books (32%), electronics (31%), gift cards (27%), DVDs and Blu-ray Discs (26%), clothing (24%), and toys (20%) topped the list of planned purchases. And according to April survey results from WorldPay, clothes, books, and DVDs and video games are the top 3 mobile purchases among American shoppers. Indeed, the BuzzCity study notes that in the US, clothing may outpace entertainment as a mobile commerce category.
In other BuzzCity survey results, lack of credit/debit cards was the leading reason given for not buying with mobile devices, while security is still a concern for some, although those concerns have decreased dramatically.
About the Data: The BuzzCity survey was conducted in November 2012 and covered countries across The Americas, Asia, Africa and Western Europe. Graphical banners were placed on the BuzzCity Mobile Internet Ad Network to publicise the survey. When clicked, the banner ads directed users to the survey questionnaire.
3,100 surfers responded to the survey. Each respondent was allowed a single response. 75% of respondents were male and 25% were women. The dominant male presence remains and previous studies suggest the skew of younger males among early adopters in many markets.
