Mobile holiday bookings lag other sectors, Criteo study reveals

Holidays top the list of items consumers would be more inclined to buy on mobile devices if the experience was more enjoyable, a study out today (Monday) reveals.

Holidays top the list of items consumers would be more inclined to buy on mobile devices if the experience was more enjoyable, a study out today (Monday) reveals.

Almost a quarter (24%) would make hotel bookings while 18% would book flights, according to the UK-wide ICM consumer study commissioned by performance marketing technology firm Criteo.

Yet holidays currently sit at the bottom of the list of what people are buying on mobiles, with 25% browsing but only 9% buying.

This compares with clothing where 37% are browsing and 23% are buying on mobile, followed by music and film and health and beauty products.

The study shows that 2.5 million UK consumers are buying on their mobile phone every day, driven by social connections, convenience, and greater emotional ties between brand and consumer.

Heavy social media users are by far the biggest mobile shoppers in the UK. More than a third (35%) of daily Facebook users have bought on mobile, compared to just 17% of non-Facebook users.

The biggest mobile buyers are heavy users of Snapchat (64% have bought on mobile) and Instagram (56%).

Ten per cent of millennials – 18-34 year olds – are buying on mobile every day. Heavy social media use and habitual mobile buying are also going hand-in-hand – 19% of daily Snapchat users, and 15% of daily Instagram and Pinterest users are buying on their mobile phone every day.

Despite the freedom and flexibility that buying on mobile provides, the most common places where purchases are made are in front of the TV (33% of UK consumers) and in bed at night (27%).

Criteo mobile products vice president, Jason Morse, said: “Smartphones have transformed the retail industry in the UK. Our mobile is always by our side, meaning it is the one consistent factor in all elements of the online and offline shopping experience today.

“We can now see that shopping on mobile is becoming a daily routine for large sections of the population, suggesting that smartphones are creating greater emotional ties behind consumer and brand.

“In addition, these findings show that browsing Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest in front of the TV at night is driving the growth of mobile commerce, just as much as mobile’s innate portability.”

He added: “These emotional factors further emphasise how important it is that brands can deliver contextual creative experiences, messaging and advertising that respond to individuals’ needs and desires in the moment, wherever they are and however they’re feeling.

“Non-intrusive, relevant and personalised ads in a native context are key to maximising conversions and driving mobile performance.”