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Smart shoppers taking advantage of mobile phones and M-commerce

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 13:05 by Sarah Collinson

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The age of the smartphone and high speed mobile internet connectivity are changing the way in which UK consumers shop both online and on the high street, according to a new study.

Although many people use their mobiles to carry out safe shopping online, those who are seeking out the best bargain in the town centre will often compare prices using their mobile and a relevant website accessed using the phone's on-board browser.

A fifth of the 908 respondents to a survey authored by Pricegrabber said that they had spent over £100 via their mobile phones during the last quarter. 66 per cent said that they could access the internet from their phones and almost half claimed that they chose to shop on their mobiles because of the added convenience.

Price comparison was regularly used by nearly a quarter of the so-called smart shoppers in order to get a better deal in the high street, whilst 22 per cent used online searches to establish specific information about the products they encountered when out and about.

Five per cent of respondents said that they used their smartphones to display vouchers which could be used in-store and 16 per cent carried out safe shopping online from their mobiles without involving a high street store at any stage.

Digital downloads still make up the most significant proportion of the products purchased using mobile phones, with nearly 60 per cent of respondents downloading apps, music and videos for a fee. However, over half used their phones to buy gadgets and 45 per cent claimed to have bought PCs and computing accessories via their smartphones.

Books and clothing were also popular items to buy using mobile phones. Clearly, M-commerce is empowering the consumer with the ability to choose wisely when it comes to buying online or on the high street.