Mobile will drive retail shopping this festive season and is no longer for low-cost items, new research has revealed, with 42% of mobile shoppers set to spend nearly twice the amount (over $1,000) of those who shop in person or on desktop. 

The findings are part of the 2021 Holiday Shopping: What Brands and Retailers Need to Know research report by leading provider of content, monetisation and marketing technologies, InMobi.

While Australian consumers have traditionally been more comfortable going to retail stores for their festive season shopping, this year more than three-quarters (77%) of Australians intend to use online as an important channel throughout the shopping journey.

A combination of concerns over Covid related safety, reduced budgets, and fewer deals and offers, means that just 34% of Australians have yet made concrete shopping plans. 

One in three intend to use a mobile to make their purchases and 39% of shoppers plan to explore and research via their mobile phone this year versus those who plan to explore and research in store at 47%.

Convenience (74%), free shipping (55%) and ease of payments and the range of products (51%) were the top three reasons cited by consumers for shopping on their mobile. 

“Naturally, holiday shopping plans have been impacted by lockdowns and other pandemic related concerns but as states begin to re-open brands will be able to drive meaningful connections with shoppers as a sense of normalcy returns,” InMobi vice president and general manager for Australia and New Zealand, Richard O’Sullivan said.