Mobile payments carried out in-store grow to 18 % in 2015: report

According to the report, entitled “2015 Global Mobile Consumer Survey: The Rise of the Always-connected Consumer”, this was the year of mobile payments, with a growing number of consumers using their phones at least once a week to make an online purchase, pay a bill and make an in-store payment.

In 2014, only 5 % of consumers had ever used their phone to make an in-store payment. In 2015, 3 % use their phone daily to make in-store payments, 5 % weekly, 5 % less often than once a week and 5 % have only done so once or twice.

Also, there is a variation in the use of mobile payments by age group, with 31 % of 18-to-24-year olds and 36 % of 25-to-34-year olds using mobile payments in-store compared to 21 % of 35-to-44-year olds, 8 % of 45-to-54-year olds and, 5 % of 55-to-64-year olds and 4 % of 65-to-74-year olds.

The main reasons for not making an in-store payment include security, named by 50 %, and a lack of clear benefits, named by 36 %. Reasons for not using mobile payments are similar across most age groups. Consumers also indicated they would most trust traditional financial institutions over tech companies for their in-store payments.

Of those who have not used mobile payments 17 % say they would find it useful to pay via their phone in a coffee shop, 19 % at public parking, 16 % to pay for groceries, 17 % to pay for fast food, 16 % using public transport and 18 % at the pump in a gas station.

Deloitte’s survey reveals that 13 % of respondents use their phone to make an online purchase at least once a week and 18 % less often than once a week.
When it comes to using a smartphone to provide a proof of purchase, 11 % do so at least once a week and 13 % less often.
Paying a bill via a smartphone is done at least once a week by 14 % and less often by 13%.

Also, 10 % reserve a product online from their phone at least once a week and 10 % do so less often.

Less popular is making an online purchase of a service, which is done by 8 % at least once a week and 6 % less often.

Making an in-store payment is done by 8 % at least once a week and 5 % less often.

The report also found that “while out shopping” ranks as the leisure activity when consumers are most likely to use their phone simultaneously. A full 92 % of respondents said they use their mobile phone while out shopping compared to 89 % for spending leisure time, 87 % for talking to friends and 87 % for watching TV.