Retailers should keep pace with the demands of mobile shoppers, research suggests

The study, Pocket Shoppers: eCommerce on the Move, of 2,000 UK adults on their mobile shopping experience, identified that two-thirds of shoppers will abandon online transactions when the process is too difficult. Furthermore, 58% reported that a poor experience would impact their decision to shop with the brand in the future.

The study also uncovers the fact that the major sources of frustration range from being forced to repeat information (69%) to obligatory sign-up processes (54%) and limited payment options (41%).

Technical hurdles are coupled with consumers’ waning attention spans. 32% of those surveyed said they are often distracted whilst shopping using their mobile, while 25% feel they do not have enough time. This combination leads to another challenge for retailers facing the demands of increasingly time-pressured customers – 36% of all adults say they feel less patient when buying goods on a mobile.

When asked about when and where they choose to transact on a mobile phone or tablet, 64% of adults still prefer to do this at home. An increasing number however, prefer to shop and pay whilst physically on the move – 23% of young adults (18-24) are most likely to do so during the commute, on lunch breaks, or waiting for friends, for example.