BABYCENTER U.S. MOBILE MOM 2015 REPORT FINDS MOMS MORE LIKELY THAN EVER TO COMPLETE PURCHASES ON SMARTPHONES

Study Reveals 33% Uptick Year-Over-Year in Moms’ Use of Smartphones to Complete Purchases in Past Month

PR Newswire, SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (October 26, 2015)
BabyCenter, the #1 pregnancy and parenting web and mobile destination worldwide, has released the results of its U.S. Mobile Mom 2015 survey, revealing that mobile shopping has reached a major turning point – moms are now much more likely than ever to complete a purchase via mobile rather than simply using their devices to compare prices and find coupons.

In just one year, there has been a 33% increase in moms using their smartphones for making actual purchases, with 64% of moms saying that they had completed a purchase via mobile in the last month, in comparison to 48% who said the same in 2014. In addition, 70% have used their smartphone for shopping while they were inside a physical store, with 48% saying they would purchase items via their device if they could not find them on the racks.

Ease of use is still a factor, with 59% of the survey’s respondents agreeing that it can be difficult to type so much information into their phone to make a purchase. However, 4 in 10 agree that one-click buying has made them more likely to buy items with their mobile devices.

A separate qualitative study was conducted by BabyCenter this summer and the findings underscore these results: Mobile-Less Moms Challenge Discussion Group – in which moms who are heavy mobile users were asked to spend some time without their phone – found that participants felt stressed and uneasy going back to paper shopping lists and coupons. This indicates that mobile has become ingrained in the shopping experience and will only pick up steam as time goes on.

For in-store shopping, the report found that scanning items is more important than ever, with 55% of respondents saying they have purchased items in-store immediately after scanning them with their phones. These moms are often looking for deals, with 64% of those polled citing coupons as a reason for scanning items. In addition, 51% scan products so they can compare prices via apps like Amazon Price Checker, and 38% do so to read product reviews.

The 2015 survey also found significant upticks year-over-year in a variety of other shopping-related mobile behaviors undertaken by U.S. moms, including:

• Visiting a retailer or shopping site: 73% (up 7%)
• Using mobile coupons: 61% (up 13%)
• Using a retailer app: 58% (up 14%)
• Looking up prices online while shopping in a store: 56% (up 14%)
• Photographing something they are considering buying: 47% (up 14%)

“As we continue to watch the evolution of mobile shopping, particularly as mobile moms make the smartphone a more critical part of their purchasing behavior, it’s important for brands to understand that these screens have tremendous pull and influence,” said Julie Michaelson, Head of Global Sales, BabyCenter. “By streamlining the mobile purchase process and offering special deals for those who make use of their smartphone in-store, brands can sell more products by connecting directly with moms on the go.”

The complete results of the BabyCenter U.S. Mobile Mom 2015: Smart Shopping Goes Smartphone report are available for download here.

Methodology
Fielded in August 2015, the U.S. Mobile Mom 2015 survey polled 1,117 U.S. women ages 18 and up. All participants were either pregnant or mothers of at least one child. Only smartphone owners were allowed to complete the survey.

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About BabyCenter^® LLC
BabyCenter is the world’s partner in parenting. The #1 pregnancy and parenting digital destination, BabyCenter reaches more than 45 million moms and dads monthly in 11 languages and 13 markets from Canada to the Middle East to China. In the United States, 7 in 10 babies born last year were BabyCenter babies. BabyCenter provides parents with trusted information, advice from peers, and support that’s Remarkably Right^® at every stage of their child’s development. Products include websites, mobile apps, online communities, email series, social programs, print publications, and public health initiatives. BabyCenter also leverages its industry-leading audience engagement to provide unparalleled insights and innovative marketing solutions to the world’s top brands, retailers, and institutions. BabyCenter is also committed to improving maternal health globally, and, through its Mission Motherhood^™ campaign, works closely with nonprofits, NGOs, and governments to help make motherhood safer for all women. BabyCenter LLC is a member of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies.

Media Contacts:

BabyCenter Contacts:
Laura Goldberg – [email protected]
Laurie Jakobsen – [email protected]