Changing Mobile App trends - Consumers Getting More Comfortable With App Only Shopping

CouponRani is a site that lists coupons and offers from over 2900+online stores, and the #1 site with most coverage of online stores on its site.

We conduct regular consumer surveys to understand the latest trends in online shopping in India. Our most recent survey done in Jan-Feb time frame, focused on finding which medium among Desktop, Mobile App and Mobile Website was preferred by shoppers. The customers who visited our website CouponRani were surveyed randomly.

1. We have noticed a shift in trends and majority of our respondents - namely 42% of respondent said they are comfortable with Mobile App as compared to 39% for Desktop and 18% of Mobile Website. This is in contrast to our earlier survey last year which showed that 51% of people were not happy with App only shopping.
2. Flipkart still remains the favorite shopping site, followed by Amazon and Snapdeal.
3. Desktop is preferable and easier to find the best coupons, deals and to make price comparison, and 43% people prefer that.

Online Shoppers prefer Mobile App to Mobile Website for Online Shopping!

India is now the 3rd largest country in the world with respect to usage of Smartphone and is expected to reach 314M mobile internet users by 2017. With this rate in growth, the total internet users in India are expected to grow to over 500M by 2017. If we ponder over the world statistics, the same is expected to grow to 61.2% by 2018.

Meanwhile, there are 8M mobile app users in India. Statistics show the average mobile app users in India have grown to 131%. This shows how much influence the mobile app has over the mobile website on consumers. The convenience, easiness and the hassle free usage makes mobile app the best way to make our shopping a better experience.

Recently, CouponRani conducted a survey to find out if the online shopaholics preferred shopping via the mobile app or the mobile website. We received great responses from our consumers and here are our key findings:

1. Mobile App is the prime choice for shopping when compared to Mobile Website by online shoppers. Around 42% of the respondents claimed that they are more comfortable and prefer shopping via mobile app. 39% preferred desktop while only 18% preferred Mobile Website. This shows the mobile app wins the minds of the people when it comes to preference as it seems to be more comfortable and handy for shopping. App helps them to shop irrespective of the place and time.
   
2. Flipkart still remains the favorite shopping site, followed by Amazon and Snapdeal. Flipkart still remains the favorite shopping site with almost 61% supporting it. 55% of the respondents preferred Amazon, 28% Snapdeal, 26% preferred PayTM, 21% Shopclues, and 10% preferred Myntra as their favorite shopping site. With this, we can infer that Flipkart App is more user-friendly than the rest which could be a reason for this store to top when it comes to favorite shopping site.
   
3. Mobile App ranks high for convenience and easier to browse when compared to Mobile Website. 71% of the total respondents claimed Mobile app to be more user friendly and convenient and easy to browse product when compared to mobile website. This indicates that people look for convenience and easiness in browsing while shopping. App is convenient as it is handy and is easily accessible. App gives more offers which are an added advantage for shopaholics.
   
4. Desktop is comparatively easier to find coupons, deals and to compare price than Mobile. Though people shop more using their mobiles, it has been found that 43% of the respondents prefer desktop as an easy means to find coupons and deals and also to compare price. This shows that people still prefer desktop for any diversified search including price comparison. App and mobile website is confined when it comes to search on a diversified topic or for comparison.34% preferred Mobile app convenient for the same while only 21% claimed Mobile website as a convenient means for finding the coupons and for comparing the price.

Detailed Survey:

1. As per the survey result, it was found that 42% of the total respondents preferred mobile app to mobile website when it comes to online shopping while 39% preferred desktop and only 18% preferred mobile website. They claimed that mobile app was more convenient, easy and faster when compared to mobile website. It was even revealed that Mobile app was more convenient in terms of browsing as well.

2. 84% of the total respondents confirmed saying that they shop via mobile. This shows how mobile phones have a great impact when it comes to shopping by reflecting the shopping habits of the people when it comes to convenience. Only a meager 15% said they never do shopping via mobile.
This meager percentage still depends on desktop for shopping.

3. 79% respondents found mobile app faster when compared to mobile website. 71% claimed that mobile app is better in terms of browsing and convenience. Since the app is already downloaded on their mobile, all they need to do is just to click on it and do the shopping which is more convenient and time saving.

4. 73% of the respondents found Mobile app easier to browse products when only 26% preferred mobile website. This shows that mobile app is more user-friendly in displaying the products with all the features and descriptions than seen on mobile website. Unless they are not specific with a particular store, mobile website is their preference. If they want to shop only from a particular store, people prefer to go to its app to enjoy the app offers as well.

5. Surprisingly, 43% respondents claimed that they found desktop more convenient to find coupons and deals and to compare price. 34% respondents stood for mobile app for the same while only 21% preferred mobile website. This reveals that still desktop holds a place in the minds of the shopaholics. It is more convenient for a more diversified and detailed search result than the app or the mobile website as they provide a confined and limited search result.

6. Out of the total respondents, it was seen that 59% of them were males while the rest were females. This clearly reveals that males do a lot of shopping than females and it also reveals that men are using mobile app for shopping more than females.

7. Almost 44% of the total respondents were between the age group 26-40. 33% respondents came under 25 years or younger and the remaining 21% came under 41 or older. This shows that middle aged people are more conveniently shopping online via mobile app and that too male shoppers are more in number.