Mobile devices have finally dethroned PCs as consumers’ preferred way to search for information on local products and services, a new study by the Local Search Association (LSA) has found.
The survey of 2,147 U.S. adults found that 60 percent now choose smartphones or tablets instead of PCs to find information before they buy in brick-and-mortar stores, with only 40 percent still preferring PCs — a 9 percent drop from last year’s survey. That’s in stark contrast to eCommerce shopping, where desktop PCs still dominate by a factor of three to one.
LSA attributes the shift to the development of “mobile fanatics,” a group of customers who perform at least 10 local shopping searches per week on at least two different devices from multiple locations.
“Mobile fanatics are always shopping and considering products no matter their location, allowing them to be reached anytime and anywhere,” LSA President Neg Norton said in a prepared statement. “We are past the tipping point with mobile usage. Consumers now cycle through online and offline media gathering information all the way through the purchasing process.”
The survey also found that 52 percent of smartphone users look for local information in the car or on the go, 54 percent look for deals, and 51 percent compare prices. Fully, 90 percent have used their devices while shopping.
Among the “mobile fanatics” group, 45 percent said they use store apps to find information about products and services while shopping in-store, and 70 percent who view mobile ads make a purchase — with 80 percent buying within 72 hours of seeing the ad.
“Local-mobile searchers in particular are in most cases the most qualified consumers out there, looking to make a purchase often within hours,” LSA VP of strategy and insights Greg Sterling told Mobile Commerce Daily.
That means geotargeting is critical for closing the sale, whether by means of beacons, GPS or other technologies — along with mobile-friendly websites, mobile apps, social media and mobile search and display ads, including video.
“Marketers must consider mobile the primary platform for consumers looking for offline information,” Sterling said. “Most brands and marketers are still not giving mobile the attention it demands.”