51% of online shoppers in India use two or more devices for shopping:Criteo

Criteo S.A., the performance marketing technology company, has released its latest research – ‘The State of Cross-Device Commerce - India’ – on consumers’ online shopping habits. The report reveals that 51 per cent of online shoppers in India use two or more devices for shopping; highlighting a clear need for retailers to deepen their understanding of cross-device consumer behaviour trends. The data can also be used to align their marketing strategies to maximise the ROI. 

Commenting on the report, Dushyant Sapre, Commercial Director, Criteo, said, “India’s online shoppers have seen a paradigm shift in last decade. The fierce competition of online players, increase of smartphones usage and internet penetration have resulted in an extended customer online journey across devices.” 

He further added, “Adoption of a cross-device measurement strategy is a critical imperative for all retailers. Marketers not only need to adopt cross-device measurement to ensure proper attribution, but also to ensure their spend is optimised for the channels delivering the highest performance. Retailers who are able to deliver a seamless and personalised customer experience across devices will stand out from the crowd.” 

Research Highlights: 

Cross-Device Measurement Means Smarter Spending and Higher Returns

As customers continue to use multiple devices for purchases, marketers need to consider how much cross-device shopping may result in digital advertising waste if they do not have accurate and scalable measurement. Traditional analytics tools look at activities on a device-by-device basis, providing a limited view of a customer’s multi-device journey. Shifting to a user-centric view that leverages advanced cross-device measurement tools can help companies accurately identify a consumer and capture a holistic view of their shopping journey. This approach aligns with buying behaviour and the intent to more accurately report transaction attribution. The case for proper cross-device measurement, identification and attribution is clear: 

• About 51per cent shoppers use multiple devices for online shopping, clearly 1 in 2 transactions may be misappropriated without cross-device measurement
• Conversion rates using cross device are up to 2x higher than a per-device view

Companies like Shopclues have invested smartly in building their cross-device strategy and have experienced the benefit it brings to increase their ROI, by attracting more online shoppers and reaching them relevantly. Harneet Singh, Vice President and Head of Marketing, ShopClues, said, “Today, our customers don’t just exist on one device and they expect to receive the same exceptional experience whether they’re shopping on a mobile, desktop or tablet. Understanding this multi-device journey is essential for us when it comes to ensuring that we’re engaging with the customer wherever they go. An effective cross-device strategy pinpoints the advertising mix that delivers the best possible experience for the shopper, and drives performance from our ad spend.” 

Mobile Continue to be a Dominant Force for Final Purchase

The customer journey remains dynamic across devices, but mobile is showing a higher transaction rate. Some key consumer buying trends from September 2016 to December 2016 are: 

• Out of total cross device transactions, 24 per cent of first device browsing begin with a smartphone
• Out of total shoppers who complete transactions on smartphones, 55 per cent browse on multiple devices
• Cross device buyers are evenly represented across the three purchases devices, smartphones (55 per cent), tablets (56 per cent) and desktops (50 per cent)

Smartphones Are the Key Device in Cross-Device Buying

The “browse on your smartphone, buy on your desktop” trend is officially dead. Instead, consumers now use their smartphones for both searching and purchasing, making it even more important for retailers to provide a synchronised experience across desktop and mobile: 

• Out of total cross device transactions, only 14 per cent shoppers have smartphones as first devices for browsing but final devices for purchase are desktops
• Out of total cross device transactions, about 39 per cent shoppers have desktops as first devices for browsing but final devices for purchase are smartphones
• In India, desktop purchases peak during work hours, while mobile devices dominate during non-office hours

Marketers can no longer afford to ignore these evolving shopping behaviours. Savvy retailers offer a seamless user experience across all devices to capture purchases wherever they take place – and, with a cross-device view of the customer shopping journey, they can spend their marketing budgets more effectively.