Survey: 78% of consumers want to use mobile messaging for shopping

Brands and retailers that are able to reach consumers where they are most likely to be spending time have an advantage, so it’s necessary to understand how digital behavior is changing.

A recent study showed that messaging, whether through text or chat, is becoming a place where people not only look to check in, but also show a willingness to shop.

The survey of 1,000 consumers from Clickatell found that 95% of consumers now make retail purchases on their smartphones, showing a push toward mobile commerce. With that comes a chance for brands and retailers to communicate with people directly. The survey found that 78% of consumers want to use mobile messaging with retail companies as a matter of convenience.

With mobile messaging, the promise lies in creating 1-to-1 communication. People are increasingly used to back-and-forth conversations in texts and direct messages. This shift in behavior brings opportunity to convert. The survey found that 81% of consumers are more likely to buy an item from an SMS link than one that is sent via email.

"The results indicate an opportunity for retail companies to engage with consumers this holiday season through their preferred messaging channels, considering a majority of consumers want to communicate with brands across the entire shopping lifecycle," said Pieter de Villiers, CEO of Clickatell, a chat commerce and business messaging firm, in a statement. "For retail brands, the next wave of commerce is building relationships with consumers in the same way they communicate with friends or family every day: on their mobile phones.

In particular, younger generations have the highest interest in using mobile messaging with a retail brand, as 92% of Gen Z and 95% of millennials indicated an interest.

After recognizing intent, brands must consider what kinds of experiences they want to create. With mobile messaging, it is particularly important to respect the space, as people want this to be a place that is personal to them. Messages that are overtly automated or sales-heavy can feel invasive, especially when delivered in a place where people are used to chatting privately.

Consumers are showing interest in a variety of communications and functions, according to the survey:

Tracking: About 70% of participants want to receive order updates through mobile messaging. Three-quarters (75%) of consumers want to track a delivery through a personalized mobile messaging link, while 69% of consumers would like to receive order updates via mobile messaging channels.

Loyalty: Just over half (52%) want to track loyalty benefits or inquire about these programs.

Deals: 46% of consumers want to receive personalized promotions for things like last-minute deals or alerts when new offerings or products become available.

Service: 47% want to use mobile messaging to connect with a customer service agent.

Payments: More comfort with conducting business on smartphones means that consumers increasingly want to pay through mobile messaging, as well. The survey found that 61% of consumers are likely to enter credit card details, while 57% indicated they will use PayPal to make a retail purchase on their smartphone. Apple Pay is also increasingly popular, as 23% prefer this method. Another 27% would make a payment through a secure payments link.