Mobile Devices Are Driving Online Shopping

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mobile Devices Are Driving Online Shopping

·         More than a quarter of online shoppers have purchased via a mobile device
·         High proportion of tablet owners shopping online via the device and opportunity for growth in smartphone owners

Auckland, New Zealand (19 July 2013) – Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, are driving online shopping in New Zealand. Nielsen, the leading global provider of information and insights, recently released a report that has found 45 percent of the 1.8 million Kiwi online shoppers researched goods and services on a mobile device. A further 26 percent made an online transaction (288,000 people via a smartphone and 239,000 via a tablet).

Tony Boyte, Associate Director of Research, Nielsen said, “Mobile devices are paving the way for more New Zealand consumers to shop online from a variety of locations, it’s convenient and immediate. Ever increasing wireless broadband take-up and 4G roll outs over the coming year should help fulfill the strong potential for mobile shopping”.

Nearly two thirds of tablet owners have made a purchase online (items not for use on the device itself) and 19 percent of smartphone owners.

Boyte sees an opportunity here, “With 1.7 million New Zealanders owning a smartphone and currently less than a fifth of those using the device to make a transaction, there’s definitely room to grow this market. Businesses need to be where their customers are and make the process intuitive. Optimising content through mobile specific sites is key to achieving this”.

The latest research revealed that 26 percent of online shoppers have started their research for a particular item on one device (smartphone, tablet or PC/laptop) and then continued their research or completed their transaction on another device. It also shows that shopping via a smartphone is taking place throughout the day, whereas tablet usage increased in the evening.

ENDS

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