In our increasingly connected world, customers rely on mobile devices more than ever to help them with their shopping needs. To better understand this, Google has partnered with Neilsen to better understand a customer’s mobile habits from research-to-purchase while shopping online, using their own surveys and metered data. Google Think Insights has recently released a very interesting research study on Mobile Path to Purchase which has uncovered five key variables.

Consumers spend time researching on mobile.

Research shows that consumers are using their smartphones at a minimum of 15 hours a week to research potential products and their characteristics/useage.
Mobile research begins with a simple search.

Majority of mobile consumers use a site’s search option during their shopping process. Search is the most common starting point for mobile research.
Location proximity matters to all mobile customers.

A close proximity to a business’s location is key to transactions. Consumers commonly look for a store’s general location on their mobile devices prior to purchace.
Purchase immediacy is key.

More than half of mobile consumers want to purchase within an hour of their research. Providing instant gratification for consumers is key to a smart business plan.
Mobile devices encourage purchases across many channels.

With consumers making nearly as many online purcheses as they do in-store purchases, the Google-Neilsen study has showed us that mobile research is effective in exciting purchase decisions.

View the entire study from Google Think Insights