More than six in 10 Australians (61%) are making purchases via their mobile devices more often than two years ago, higher than the global average (59%) with consumers across all generations increasing their mobile shopping activity, according to a new report from leading global retail bank, payments and shopping service, Klarna.
Klarna’s 2021 Mobile Shopping Report also revealed while shoppers are returning to shop in physical stores, they increasingly seek to combine their online and in-person shopping experience, with almost seven in 10 (67%) using their mobile devices to research products while shopping in store.
Consumers use online shopping tools to make better informed decisions and ultimately save money and time, with nine in 10 saying they use their phones to compare prices (90%) and look for the best deals or price promotions (93%) and more than eight in 10 (87%) track their deliveries and returns.
“Smartphones are ingrained in the way we live and work, and as this research shows, they’re increasingly shaping consumers’ shopping behaviours here in Australia, and around the world,” Klarna Australia and New Zealand head of partner success, Mat Hosking said.
“Through their mobiles, consumers have the world at their fingertips and now expect new levels of convenience and flexibility while shopping. Perhaps most notably, consumers are increasingly bringing their online shopping in store – almost 70% of Australian shoppers have used their mobile devices to research products when in a physical store.
“The lines between online and offline shopping experiences are not just blurring, they’re disappearing, making the ability to deliver a seamless omnichannel experience even more important for retailers.”
The Klarna report also found that two-thirds of Australian shoppers (66%) will transition to virtual cards in the future to complete their online purchases. This sentiment is felt most strongly by Millennials (78%) and Gen Z (73%). Half (54%) of Australian shoppers have heard about virtual cards, and 23% have already tried them.