A survey of consumers who use their mobile phone regularly for on-line purchases found that 60% think it’s important to be able to verify product availability at a particular store.

The report also revealed:

• 20% of consumers use their phones to create shopping lists or baskets.
• Just over 20% would be interested in a mobile app to help with basket management for their favorite retailers.
• 66% are interested in the possibility of using their mobile phone to scan and purchase items, instead of using the usual checkout process.
• 25% believe that receiving specials/promotions/coupons is important.

Jim Bengier, a global retail industry expert, is reported as saying: “Mobility is more than a channel, and as consumers begin to use mobile devices in all aspects of their shopping process, cross-channel will be essential for retailers to succeed.

“Today’s consumers are transforming the shopping experience with their mobile phones, and retailers should be aiming to keep up with this.”

If you are looking for information on website design for mobile phone devices then speak to leading web design company WebCreationUK.

A new piece of research has revealed the growing importance for retailers to create “multi-channel” outlets. The report from FreshMinds shows that traditional retail channels are shifting more towards the internet and mobile phone apps but that there is still a need to pay attention to back-end services, for example, good customer service and deliveries.

It’s become very clear that there are huge sales-boosting opportunities for high street retailers and offering an ecommerce outlet widens the potential net of customers massively. The problem occurs, however, when this expansion arrives and the retailers are not able to deliver products or deal with the increased need for customer service.

The message is that to retain your brand quality and shoppers’ respect it’s vital that companies pay attention to all areas of their business. Take note, if you’re planning an on-line expansion anytime soon.

* Make sure you check out the great web design and ecommerce website deals being offering by leading web designers WebCreation UK

Another report makes clear the potential for businesses to marketing their products or services on Facebook.

The latest research by Morpace in the US reveals that:
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Consumers spend an average of 7.3 hours each week on Facebook
* People aged 18-34 spend 8.5 hours a week on Facebook.
* People who have an annual salary of more than $100,000 per year spend 9 hours per week on Facebook.

As a spokesperson for Morpace rightly notes: “Our study shows how powerful a tool Facebook can be for retailers who are looking for an opportunity to reach their target audience.

“Our results suggest that a presence on Facebook can not only improve consumer awareness but also fulfill the consumers’ desire for product knowledge, events, and promotions.”

Go on, you know it will be worth your while creating a Facebook page. WebCreationUK also have a Facebook profile,  speak to us about adding a Facebook feed to your website.

Does your e-commerce business suffer from people abandoning their shopping basket or cart before buying? A recent study by Forrester Research found that 88% of on-line buyers say that they have abandoned a shopping cart without completing a transaction. This is the same percentage as five years ago.

Some of the problems include:

• Dislike of shipping costs.
• Being unprepared at point of sale to buy the goods, i.e. can’t find a credit card.
• Desire to compare prices elsewhere.

The research also found:

• On-line buyers who abandon shopping carts spend more money on-line than those who don’t. So it seems that the very people who abandon shopping carts are actually the most valuable to businesses.
• More than two-thirds of shopping cart abandoners say they like to shop around before making a purchase.
• Almost 50% of shopping cart abandoners say that they plan to conduct more on-line research before purchasing in order to get the best price.

So what can e-commerce businesses do about this? Some suggestions include:

• Be up-front about shipping costs of offer free delivery.
• Be sure to offer good deals and discounts.
• Make the buying process as simply as possible.

Recent research reveals that on-line spending in America in the first quarter of 2010 is up 10% on last year to $34 billion. The comScore findings also showed:

* Growth was mainly driven by upper-income consumers. Those with a $100,000-plus household income spent 14% more.

* Larger on-line retailers continued to generate higher growth rates than smaller retailers, but the smaller retailers are seeing some positive growth once again.

comScore chairman Gian Fulgoni is reported as saying: “The first quarter returned the US retail e-commerce market to healthy double-digit growth rates.

“While these spending gains provide reason for optimism, we should note that upper-income households are currently shouldering much of the growth.

“Should the economy falter in the second half of the year and upper-income consumers return to a savings mode, we could still see growth decelerate. But for the time being, this momentum is encouraging.”

Could this spell good news for Britain, too? We hope so.

Latest research reveals that total on-line sales increased by 13% in April compared to last year. Shoppers spent £4.4 billion worth on goods and products during the month.

The figures, from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, do mask a month-on-month downturn in on-line travel sales. While travel and ticket sales on-line rose by 5% year-on-year there was a sharp 9% drop in April, compared to March, because of the volcanic ash cloud.

When it comes to on-line clothing sales, there was a huge 21% increase compared to the same period in 2009. There was also a rise in sales of beers, wines and spirits in the last three weeks of the month.

Chris Webster, vice president, Retail Consulting and Technology, Capgemini, is reported as saying: “On-line retail is seeing continued high growth levels of 13% as more and more retailers are using an on-line channel to attract a new market and retain existing customers.

“The clothing sector in particular has been given a boost by April’s early signs of summer, with shoppers logging on to update their wardrobes for the new season. This sector is driving growth behind the industry as a whole.”