Consumer Behavior

Mobile devices changing consumer shopping behavior

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March 24, 2022

A hefty majority, 73%, of U.S. shoppers will embrace virtual cards for online purchases and the trend illustrates how smartphone innovation is rapidly changing how consumers shop both online and in-store, according to Klarna data from the payment provider's Mobile Shopping Report.

The study, which polled 13,000 consumers across 13 countries, revealed virtual cards, also known as electronic cars, are gaining as a payment method as half of users view them as more convenient, according to a press release.

The report also revealed two other global trends:

• As people return to shopping in stores, the vast majority (92%) of respondents worldwide said they would use their devices in-store to help them secure the best deals or price promotions.
• While consumers have heavily embraced apps, they are seeking out integrated services that remove the need to switch between multiple apps. Gen Z and Millennials feel most strongly about this, with three in four in favor of an all-in-one shopping app and 70% across regions expressing a preference for multi-purpose replacements.

"Consumers are increasingly mobile-oriented when it comes to how they shop and engage with the brands they love. They are not just using their phones to shop online — they're also using them in-store to research products, search for price comparisons, and more," Raji Behal, head of US Partner Success, Klarna, said in the release. "This preference towards mobile is driving significant behavioral changes among consumers, who can access the world at their fingertips and are therefore demanding greater convenience and flexibility while shopping. This is particularly true within the U.S. market, which — according to our research — is the only country where consumers are more likely to prefer shopping on mobile over computers."

Additional report findings include:

• Mobile shopping is on the rise, primarily driven by younger audiences, and 68% of U.S. consumers are shopping more often now with their mobile phones than just two years ago, with eight in 10 mobile shopping within the last 12 months. This is particularly true among younger generations, with 79% of Gen Z and 77% of Millennials m-shopping more often now compared to two years ago.
• Consumers are more likely to prefer shopping on mobile phones versus computers. 46% of U.S. shoppers prefer mobile, in contrast to the 41% who like to shop via desktop computer.
• Mobile devices are an essential resource for in-store shoppers. The majority (68%) of U.S. shoppers use their mobile devices to research products while shopping in physical stores. Consumers are most likely to research products via their phones in-store when shopping for electronics (85%), followed by entertainment (79%), and clothing and shoes (78%).
• Virtual cards are on the rise, with 73% of U.S. shoppers looking to embrace digital cards in the future for online shopping. The U.S. has the second-highest penetration of virtual cards across all global markets, with 37% of shoppers already using them to purchase online. This preference is most prominent among Millennials (81%).
• Consumers embrace shopping apps with a "less is more" mentality. 94% of U.S. consumers have shopping apps installed on their mobile phones. However, most consumers (82%) use fewer than five apps each week, and 72% would prefer to have one single app that incorporates all of the features of the shopping apps they currently use.