A new report from performance marketers Intela reveals that more than two in five UK smartphone users are more likely to buy goods using mobile devices now than they were a year earlier.
Almost half of US consumers (44%) say they are more likely to make purchases via mobile this year compared with 2012.
The Intela Mobile Consumer Report 2013 shows that m-commerce activity is on the rise, though many mobile promotions still have limited influence over purchasing decisions.
Half of UK smartphone users are willing to spend more than £10 on mobile purchases, while 56% of American users are prepared to spend over $10. Around 12% of respondents said they would be comfortable making a single mobile transaction over £100.
What motivates smartphone users to spend via mobile? Mobile email is a notable driver, cited by 36% of US users and 27% of UK users. By contrast, banner ads perform poorly: only 1% of UK consumers named them as influential, and they registered 0% influence among US respondents.
Unsurprisingly, retail dominates mobile spending. Two in five UK smartphone users said they would primarily use mobile payments for retail purchases.
This research echoes other recent findings in the payments sector. In November, the IAB reported that mobile wallets and payments were among the most appealing concepts for three-quarters of smartphone users in the UK, USA and South Korea — provided the necessary scenarios and infrastructure were available.
“Waves of innovation in smartphone technology have meant mobile commerce is finally becoming a tangible reality for consumer-facing businesses,” said Guénolé Le Gall, head of mobile at Intela.
Le Gall added, “As people become more dependent on their devices, mobile commerce’s prominence will grow — much as e-commerce expanded as online technologies matured.”
Marco Veremis, CEO of mobile monetisation company Upstream, has noted how emerging markets are shaping the mobile payments landscape. He questioned whether monetisation opportunities in the West are slowing as consumers near saturation point.
Regardless of how operators and networks adapt, consumers appear increasingly comfortable with mobile payments. Intela calls this the “iTunes effect,” reflecting how regular mobile purchases—such as for music—help normalize paying on mobile devices.
Are you increasingly comfortable using mobile payments?
Update February 28: Below is the infographic from Intela summarising the research: