Nearly one-third of consumers plan to shop via mobile during holiday season

CHICAGO — A big majority of consumers plan to use their phones during the holiday season to do more than just check prices, according to a new consumer survey.

Vibes, a Chicago-based mobile marketing technology company, commissioned research firm Equation Research to poll 1,000 adult smartphone owners; the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1%.

The survey found that 86% of consumers plan to use their phones this holiday season, with 53% using them to look up product information in order to trigger purchase decisions, while 48% plan to use them to find such store information as location and hours.

"For retailers, this insight into consumers mobile plans could lead to a much more lucrative holiday," Vibes cofounder and CEO Jack Philbin said. "While retailers intuitively know mobile is a game-changer, so many of them get stuck when it comes to developing and implementing a strategy that sticks with consumers."

While more than half of consumers plan to use their phones to look up product information, 44% want to receive offers and discounts. Less than 20% will look for the best selection of products, look for the most convenient location or seek personalized offers and discounts, even though previous research by Vibes found that 89% would sign up for mobile messages if they were personalized. Thirty-four percent will use their phones as a mobile wallet to organize coupons and loyalty cards, and 32% plan to make purchases on mobile websites. Nine percent of showrooming consumers are more likely to desire a more personalized experience from in-store personnel, compared with 3% of non-showroomers, and 8% of them are more likely to respond positively to an engaging and fun mobile experience, compared with 2% of others.