New Canadian research shows more smartphone owners are using their devices to compare prices rather than actually buying anything.
Research firm Vision Critical interviewed 3,000 Canadians over a three-month period to ask about mobile phone habits. Approximately 16% said they access the Internet with their phones, and were subsequently asked what they do when they’re mobile and online.
“Of that subset [of mobile online users], 17% are doing comparison shopping in-store,” said David Gardner, vice-president of Vision Critical’s retail practice. That percentage is higher than the number of respondents who said they use their phones to simply shop online (10%) at online retailers.
“Before, you would see people walking into Future Shop, for example, armed with print outs of competitors’ prices,” Gardner said. “Now, you don’t need to do that homework in advance.”
Gardner believes the practice will only escalate as smartphone penetration increases. He also points to the development of price comparison applications for iPhones and Blackberrys as a growth driver.
The Save Benjis app, for example, can scan product bar codes with an iPhone’s camera, and list that product’s price at multiple retail outlets.
“This will be more applicable for easily comparable categories such as electronics and luggage, not so much apparel. Retailers are going to have to embrace this.”
