Over Half (55%) of Online Canadians Use Their Mobile Device to Comparison Shop While In-Store
Toronto, ON - Mobile is gaining momentum with online Canadians. According to the latest findings from the eCommerce chapter of the Ipsos Canadian Inter@ctive Trends Report, 25% of online Canadians have used their smartphones to buy products and services online, and another 24% have used tablets for their purchases - an increase of 5 percentage points each from last year. However, of the eight in ten (84%) Canadian Internet users who have made a purchase online in the past year, the vast majority (90%) continue to do so with a desktop or laptop computer.
"The data suggest that Canadian Internet users are becoming more accepting of using mobile devices to make online purchases," says Karen Beck, Associate Vice President, Canada, Ipsos. "So, for retailers that means ensuring the user experience is optimized across multiple screens. This is especially important with younger generations like Millennials, where four in ten use their smartphone to complete an online purchase."
Many online Canadians are relying on their mobile devices while in-store, too. The results from the 2015 study indicate that 55% of mobile device and smartphone owners use their devices to comparison shop while in a store, an increase of 13 percentage points in a year. In addition, many online Canadians admit to changing their minds about what to buy (44% occasionally, 12% regularly) as a result of comparison shopping done on their mobile devices. Significantly more Canadian mobile device owners are interested in receiving coupons that can be redeemed in-store on their devices (35%, up 14 percentage points). Not surprisingly, this interest level is highest among the most mobile Canadians, those aged 18 to 34 (50%, up 39 percentage points).
As with last year, Amazon (31%) continues to be the top choice for recent online purchases (up a significant 7 percentage points from 2014). This is distantly followed by eBay (9%, stable), Walmart (4%, stable), and Chapters and Indigo (4%, stable).
The results also reveal that 14% of all online Canadians made an online purchase through a sponsored link or advertisement posted on a social media site. This jumps to one in five (21%) among those between the ages of 18-34 years. One in ten (11%) made an online purchase after seeing a related social media post, which increases to 22% among those between the ages of 18-34 years.
"In addition to mobile's increasing influence in shopping, this year's study brings a number of important considerations," adds Beck. "When shopping in-store, online coupons could influence purchase decisions and help close sales. They may, in fact, be an expectation for younger consumers. Advertisements and posts on social media can also help boost sales, and once again, this is especially true with digitally savvy Millennials. As we approach the New Year, retailers should be sure they have a strategy in place to address all of these areas."
This release is based on the findings of an Ipsos syndicated study, The Ipsos Canadian Inter@ctive Trends Report, fielded June 12 to 18, 2015 and released in 2015-Issue 2. This online survey of 800 Canadian adults was conducted via Ipsos' online panel. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. The precision of Ipsos online surveys is measured using a Bayesian credibility interval. In this case, the survey is considered accurate to within +/- 4.0 percentage points had all Canadian adults been polled. For a subset of 686 online Canadians who have purchased online in the past 12 months, the survey is considered accurate to within +/- 4.3 percentage points.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Elen Alexov
Director, Marketing Services, North America
Ipsos
(778) 373-5136
[email protected]
Karen Beck
Associate Vice President
Ipsos
(778) 373-5026
[email protected]
About Ipsos
Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks third in the global research industry.
With offices in 87 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media, customer loyalty, marketing, public affairs research, and survey management.
Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.
Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of e1,669.5 ($2,218.4 million) in 2014.
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