Mumbai, Bengaluru e-shoppers more cautious about mobile transactions than Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi: Yahoo!-Mindshare Study

Yahoo!, a news and media website and guide, focussed on informing, connecting, and entertaining users, and GroupM's flagship media agency Mindshare have announced the findings of a joint India-specific study titled 'Mobile Consumer Journey - 2016'.

The study points towards the increased role that mobile devices play during a consumer's purchase decisions. The study has taken into account the shopping behaviour of users across devices for 31 different categories including travel, electronic devices, and consumer packaged goods.

The study traces the step-by-step process where a consumer uses the mobile phone to make a purchase decision. It elaborates on how the devices are used during various stages of the purchase decision, as well as points out the key drivers and barriers which influence the final purchase decision. It also points at the factors that dictate consumer preferences, the how and where-to-buy aspect during the purchase process, the top-selling categories on mobile phones, and the cities that observe the maximum number of mobile-based transactions relative to others.

Commenting on the findings, M A Parthasarathy, chief product officer, Mindshare South Asia, says, "The e-commerce landscape in India is perhaps the most dynamic in the world, largely due to the rapidly evolving mobile ecosystem. This research highlights the role of mobile from the top of the funnel to the bottom and how it varies across product categories. It will help us develop sharper, more connected communications strategies for brands."

Francis Che, head of insights, Yahoo!, Asia-Pacific (APAC), adds, "The study shows that the consumer's path to purchase is turning more complex and non-linear, with mobile being at the centre of this evolution. As mobile devices become more important in the consumer's last mile of purchase decision, brands need to build targeted, more seamless shopping experiences across all channels to strengthen sales and acquire new customers."

The report also provides insights to marketers so that they can hone their digital and mobile commerce initiatives and build a strong mobile strategy for optimum results.

The key findings of the study have been classified into five broad categories -- Drivers and barriers of online transactions, City-wise break-up of mobile transactions, Mobile browsing versus mobile buying, Distinctive consumer journey by category, and Categories on high growth quadrant.

According to the report, 31 per cent online shoppers opt for online shopping in order to save time and effort that would otherwise be spent in shopping at a brick-and-mortar store. Attractive discounts and promotions also drive 28 per cent online shoppers into making their purchase decision with the help of mobile devices, and 21 per cent seem to find the convenience associated with 'Shopping Anywhere, Anytime' with regard to online shopping via mobile phones, to be the biggest draw.

On the flip side, attributes such as non-authentic goods, unreliable delivery, and lack of quality control are the three main barriers which keep them away from making online purchase decisions.

As per the report, 75 per cent online shoppers in Kolkata are open to mobile transactions, followed by Chennai which is a close second with 64 per cent, and Delhi with 57 per cent. Interestingly, online shoppers in Mumbai and Bengaluru happen to be more cautious with less than 35 per cent preferring mobile transactions over other modes of payment.

Of the total number of consumers opting for mobile-based browsing, 79 per cent prefer making buying decisions on a mobile phone as compared to the nine per cent who wish to do it through personal computers or laptops, and 12 per cent in a physical store. This, in itself, can prove to be the right opportunity for creating brand awareness leading to the final purchase decision such that the mobile-based target audience feels a brand connect and engagement with the respective brands in question, finds the report.

According to the study, online shoppers are more likely to use their mobile devices to make regular or impulse purchases rather than an expensive and well-thought of kind of a purchase decision. Corroborating this fact, the study goes on to say that more than 90 per cent consumers make use of their mobile devices for quick and frequent purchases across categories like travel, music, and movies.

The report says that 36 per cent consumers trust their laptops and personal computers for buying high-consideration products, for instance, products from the insurance sector, and, 24 per cent prefer buying health supplements. Categories with significant in-store purchases include personal hygiene (30 per cent) and luxury accessories (27 per cent).

According to the report, apparel, electronic devices, and baby and pet care products figure on the high growth quadrant category list and users are less likely to buy financial services products on their mobile devices as these are often perceived to be more complex purchase decisions than the others.

Yahoo!, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, is a guide focussed on informing, connecting, and entertaining users. It has its offices located in America, the Asia-Pacific (APAC), and the EMEA (Europe, Middle-East and Africa) regions.

Mindshare, a member of WPP, is a global media and marketing services network from the GroupM stable. The network has its presence in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle-East, and the Asia-Pacific.