iOS users dominate mobile commerce

Two thirds ( 66%) of iPhone users – 11.6m people – buy items via mobile sites at least once a month, compared with less than half ( 47%) of Android smartphone owners.

The survey of 1,000 smartphone- and tablet-owing UK adults conducted by OnePoll found that iPhone owners were also the most frequent shoppers; one in 10 makes a purchase via their mobile every day. Despite Android’s larger smartphone user base in the UK, 44% compared with 38% for the iPhone, iOS is still the dominant platform for shopping. Apple owners account for 46% of the 25.5 million UK consumers making mobile site purchases on a monthly or more regular basis, compared with 38% on Android.

More tablet owners make regular purchases than smartphones users and Apple’s domination is even greater here.  More than three quarters ( 76%) of iPad users buy via a website on their device at least monthly, compared with 54% for those using Android tablets. IPads account for about 65% of the 18 million tablets in the UK.

The 25 to 34 year-old age group are the most likely to spend via mobiles – 78% had bought something via mobile in the past six months, compared with 48% of 45+ year-old mobile owners. Music is the most common purchase, followed by books, travel, digital products (such as apps or ebooks) and clothing. It appears convenience, rather than price, drives mobile purchases with users opting for high-value items such as train tickets, hotels and clothing alongside less expensive items.

David Bowen, commerce product manager at EPiServer said: “While Apple remains the top choice for mobile commerce, adoption across the other platforms is increasing. The overriding lesson from our study is that commerce must be increasingly omni-channel in order to meet customer demand. Consumers, particularly those in the 25 to 34 age bracket with busy lifestyles and secure incomes, are increasingly multi-device owners and expect commerce experiences to not only span those multiple devices, but to integrate with offline too.”