This document summarizes research on mobile shopping behaviors based on a survey of over 1,000 people. It finds that while smartphones are used widely for initial searches, tablets are preferred for more in-depth research and making purchases across all age groups and product categories. Younger consumers ages 18-24 use multiple devices and are most active on smartphones, while older consumers ages 55-64 prefer tablets. The key takeaway is that marketers should tailor their mobile strategies and target different devices depending on where consumers are in the purchase funnel to maximize opportunities for influence.

1. RESEARCH OVERVIEW
2014
Making sense
of mobile shoppers

2. RESEARCH OVERVIEW: MAKING SENSE OF MOBILE SHOPPERS
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Making Sense of Mobile Shoppers
Introduction
Consumers have clear brand, product
and shopping preferences. Retailers
understand this and strive to create
experiences that take advantage of
these preferences. Digital has largely
failed to understand the delicate
relationship between the retailer and
customer, replacing it with blunt force
retargeting that dazes, dismays and
disturbs customers.
When it comes to shopping, today’s consumers have
more options than ever in terms of products, prices and
convenience. Smartphones and tablets mean online
shoppers are no longer chained to their desktop computers
and can research and purchase from the palm of their
hand. Mobile commerce is providing new capabilities and
consumers are starting to exhibit clear preferences for how
they use their various devices for different shopping activities.
Understanding these preferences creates a whole new world
of opportunities for marketers. The following report describes
a number of mobile shopping behaviors based on a survey of
more than 1,000 people.

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When shopping,
more is more
Survey results indicated that 25-34 year olds are the
most likely to use multiple devices while shopping, with
respondents over the age of 65 being the least likely.
In general, multiscreen shopping is catching on and that
means marketers need to be thinking more broadly and
creatively than they have in the past.
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
63.30%
66.10%
58.10%
48.20%
44.30%
28.70%
Do you ever use multiple devices in the course
of shopping for a product?
75%
25%

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Who is smartest
with smartphones?
Respondents ages 25-34 are the most
active when it comes to using their
smartphones for shopping. For most
people searching is the number one
activity – except for some boomers who
are most likely to use their phones to
browse a specific shopping site.
Search for products
Research products
Browse a retailer site
Purchase products
How do you use your smartphone?
88%
93%
78%
73%
83%
66%
74%
60% 60%
75%
68%
81%
78%
82%
80%
65%
82%
75%
80%
66%
55%
58%
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 55 - 6445 - 54 65+
72% 71%
100%

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Tablets?
That’s not so easy
Tablet usage, on the other hand, is
all over the map when it comes to
mobile commerce. Consumers between
18-24 are the most active when it comes
to searching for products (88 percent),
those between 25-34 year olds are the
most likely to use a tablet to research
a specific product and to make a
purchase. The youngest consumers
showed a decline in engagement –
highest for searching but the lowest
for tablet shopping.
Search for products
Research products
Browse a retailer site
Purchase products
How do you use your tablet?
88%
80%
84%
77% 78%
81%
83%
73%
77%
81%
69%
88%
74%
78%
86%
84%
80% 81%
86%
81%
64%
81%
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 55 - 6445 - 54 65+
81%
76%
100%

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Search:
everyone’s doing it!
The 18-24 set are equal-opportunity searchers
with 88 percent reporting that they search on
both smartphones and tablets. Respondents ages
25-34 years old are more likely to search on their
phones (93 percent) than on tablets (80 percent).
The tables turn as searchers age with those ages
35-44 preferring tablets (84 percent) over phones
(78 percent), ages 45-54 prefer tablets 76 percent
over 71 percent preferring phones, and ages 55-
64 chose tablets 77 percent versus 73 percent
choosing phones. Those over the age of 65 the
tables turn again with 83 percent reporting they
search on phone and 78 percent saying tablet.
Which device do you use for search?
Phone Tablet
88% 88%
93%
80%
78%
84%
71%
73%
83%
78%
76% 77%
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 55 - 6445 - 54 65+
100%
50%

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When it’s time to dig deep,
no small screen will do
Across the board, tablets are the devices of choice
when it’s time to research a specific product.
It’s truest for the 55-64 age set where 61 percent
report using their phones and 77 percent using their
tablets. That’s the biggest delta of any age group.
The smallest is among those over the age of 65,
where 75 percent use their phones and 81 percent
tablets.
Which device do you use to research a product?
Phone Tablet
66%
81%
74%
83%
72%
81%
60% 61%
75%
81%
73%
77%
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 55 - 6445 - 54 65+
100%
50%

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Browsing
by device
You’d think that when it came time to browse a
retailer’s site or app everyone would be turning
to their tablets.
That’s true in some cases but certainly not for
everyone. Respondents ages 35-44 years old
are the most likely to use a tablet over a phone
(86 percent versus 80 percent) but the biggest
delta is among 45-54 year olds (tablets 84
percent and phone 65 percent).
78%
74%
82%
78%
80%
86%
65%
82%
75%
81%
84%
80%
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 55 - 6445 - 54 65+
Which device do you use to browse a
retailer’s site or app?
Phone Tablet
100%
50%

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When it’s about shopping,
tablets are tops
Among every age group tablets edge smartphones
when it comes to making purchases.
Among 18-24 year olds the gap is the smallest
(68 percent phones versus 69 percent tablets).
It’s largest among shoppers over the age of 65
(phones 58 percent and tablets 81 percent).
100%
50%
68% 69%
81%
88%
77%
86%
55%
58%
81%81%
66% 64%
18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 55 - 6445 - 54 65+
Which device do you use to make mobile
commerce purchases?
Phone Tablet

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What people are
looking for matters
There are some categories that are searched more
on one device than another.
For example, 62 percent of people search for
media (music, movies) on their phones, compared
to 55 percent on tablets. For bigger ticket items like
airfare or travel, tablets fair better. When it comes
to airfare, 47 percent are searched on a tablet
versus 45 percent on a phone. Searches falling
under “other travel purchases” show a 47 percent
preference for a tablet versus 44 percent on the
phone.
Which device do you use to search for the
following products?
Phone Tablet
26%
30%
47%
44%
47%
45%
47%
52%
42%
46%
49%
52%
55%
62%
Clothing Electronics TravelShoes Airfare ToysMedia
75%
25%

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When it’s time to spend,
people spend on tablets
What people are buying hardly matters;
it’s clear that people prefer buying on
tablets. In key categories tablets come
out on top by a wide margin.
Which device have you used to purchase
the following products?
Phone Tablet
24%
18%
39%
25%
42%
26%
31%
20%
35%
22%
40%
30%
57%
46%
Clothing Electronics TravelShoes Airfare ToysMedia
75%
25%

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Phones aren’t
connecting
When it comes to searching versus
buying on phones, the gaps are huge.
For example, while 52 percent of
people report using their phones to
search for electronics, only 20 percent
actually make purchases. 75%
25%
Users report wide deltas between search
and shopping on their phones.
Search Purchase
18%
30%
25%
44%
26%
45%
20%
52%
22%
46%
30%
52%
46%
62%
Clothing Electronics TravelShoes Airfare ToysMedia

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For tablets the gaps are much smaller. Are they
there? Sure, but even for electronics the gaps less
than half the size it is on the phone (47 percent
search versus 31 percent purchase) and in the
case of media more people (57 percent) purchase
media than search for it (55 percent). 75%
25%
The gaps between search and purchase are
much smaller on tablets.
Search Purchase
24%
26%
39%
47%
42%
47%
31%
47%
35%
42%
40%
49%
57%
55%
Clothing Electronics TravelShoes Airfare ToysMedia
Tablets are a shorter line from
point of search to point of purchase

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So what does this mean?
Conclusion
For every audience there is an opportunity to reach and
influence them as they travel through the purchase funnel.
Understanding consumer behavior on different devices can
help marketers tailor and target their approach more
effectively.
Most consumers are satisfied with any screen when
conducting simple searches, with tablets enjoying a slight
edge among those in their mid-30s to mid-60s. As
consumers look for more detailed information on a brand or
product there’s a marked shift to the larger tablet screen.
Another change happens as people begin engaging with a
retail site or app. With the exception of 45-54 year-olds (who
really seem to love their tablets), most people are
comfortable using either phones or tablets. When the time
comes to actually make a purchase, people prefer their
tablets – and that is true among every age group and for
every product category included in this research.
The bottom line is that consumers of all ages are turning to
mobile devices to discover new products, find more
information on the products they want, browse for purchase
opportunities and ultimately buy.
Understanding who does what on which device will help
marketers make the most of the growing tide of mobile
commerce.

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About Sociomantic
Sociomantic Labs drives incremental sales at scale for e-commerce marketers
with programmatic display advertising solutions for desktop, Facebook, and mobile.
Sociomantic’s proprietary Streaming CRM technology enables marketers in 60
countries worldwide to harness the value of CRM and other first-party data assets
to deliver individually personalized dynamic ads for retargeting, prospecting and
loyalty campaigns — helping marketers turn real-time data into real-time ROI.
Methodology
Sociomantic commissioned a study, conducted by independent research firm
ResearchNow, polling 1,000 consumers on their device preferences.

16. sociomantic.com