Consumers increase smartphone usage

Monday 16th January, By Stephanie Clark

The large bulk of consumers making use of smartphones are using them for shopping and getting in touch with companies and a fast-growing base of smartphone users, now anticipate to engage with businesses on mobile. Smartphones and tablets are not small pc's - they're brand-new devices being used in totally new ways.

Businesses have begun to embrace this at scale and many saw good things occur when they constructed ad campaigns and websites exclusively for mobile. Ticketsnow's prosperity with a mobile optimised site - increased site traffic, and more ticket sales - is just one instance of the perks of building for mobile. Initiatives like platform-specific ad elements will help businesses better connect with mobile customers in the coming months, and beyond.

Mobile-based business intelligence will certainly continue to be an essential and expanding industry trend in 2012 and according to a Gartner Inc. report, by 2013 more than 33 percent of business intelligence capability will be absorbed by handheld devices. As the accessibility and adoption of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices continues to explode, this technology will incessantly create new, untapped data streams that businesses must identify and leverage to create a competitive advantage.

The modern consumer is technology savvy and fully embraces new and relevant developments and products that enter the marketplace. The problem is that the consumer tech market is saturated with ideas, gadgets, Apps and endless product upgrades, meaning that it may be difficult for retailers and customers to see the wood from the trees when it comes to which are beneficial, functional and will actually enhance their shopping experience.

With the unique benefits of mobility, availability and personalisation, mobile commerce will add a powerful new dimension to customer service and be a source of substantial new income and place the mobile firmly at the centre of consumers' lives. So it is no surprise that mobile commerce is fast becoming the channel of choice as it adds another facet to shopping on a whim. Online shopping requires less dedication than venturing onto the high street, but mobile takes that a step further and enables consumers to act on an impulse to buy as soon as they feel it, anywhere and at any time, and without need for a pc or even mobile internet access.

As smartphones proceed their substantial consumer adoption rate and customers use the mobile web with intensifying frequency, mobile commerce will continue its impressive growth in 2012. Consumers expect the mobile web experience to become as good as the traditional web, but with additional features that maximize the abilities of their phones such as location-aware services.