Over 85% of people in the UK now own a smartphone. This increase in smartphone usage is in part due to convenience, portability, the need to stay up-to-date with news and events, and to constantly be connected with our friends and family.
Social media is integral to our lives these days, as well as the desire to know what everyone is doing and to keep up with the latest trends, so it’s no surprise that more and more businesses are using social media to promote themselves. But, latest studies have shown that retailers that focus their marketing budgets on social media and smartphone campaigns are misguided, with only 9% of UK shoppers saying they use social media as part of their purchasing process.
Statistics show that 54% of people still use a home computer or laptop when looking for information and carrying out online research before making a purchase, compared with 38% who use a smartphone.
Purchases where social media had the most influence was bathroom (15%) and beauty (11%), with DIY having 6% influence and fashion and clothing at only 7%.
These stats are surprisingly low, but taking a closer look at our purchasing habits, we all want to know more about the product or service we are considering buying and will generally opt to checkout a company’s website to get a better understanding of their offerings and business ethics. Social media is great for setting the seed, but it’s nothing compared to actually looking at a website.
Source: UM