YouGov, the international research company, has launched the Mobile Buying Experience Tracker Study, which provides insight into the mobile phone purchasing experience from the customer’s point of view.
The study helps network operators, mobile retailers and handset manufacturers to identify the areas needing improvement in their sales processes and pinpoint marketing messages that will strike a chord with consumers. It also shows how they are performing against the competition.
The first wave of results from a base of 9650 consumers indicates that one third of consumers have been deterred from purchasing a mobile phone due to their buying experience, suggesting that there is an opportunity for vendors of phones and services to steal market share from the competition.
Mobile phones are bought and replaced more often than any other technology device and the buying process is increasingly a multi-channel one. The research clearly reveals areas in each selling channel where improvements can be made.
Caroline Gaskin, director in technology and telecoms consulting for YouGov, stated: “The mobile phone industry is missing out on significant sales volume, even amongst consumers who are ready and willing to be sold to.
“Our initial findings show that only 54% of consumers who looked into purchasing a mobile phone actually ended up buying one,” she continued. “Worryingly, even amongst people seriously intending to buy, only two thirds actually bought something. As the technology and retail industry battle with the recession, it is good news that there are opportunities to increase sales, but this will only happen with the implementation of improvements.”