Indians prefer making in-app purchases from mobile messaging apps:InMobi

A-first-of-its-kind study conducted by InMobi, the independent mobile advertising platform, to understand the consumer behavior of mobile messaging apps on smartphones in India has shown that Indians prefer price points that range between INR71 and INR129 for making in-app purchases. In-app purchases are usually add-ons like emoticons, games, stickers and virtual currency among others. While 1 in 5 mobile Internet users have already made an in-app purchase when using a mobile messaging/chat application, about 18% are likely to consider it. One-third of the users make in-app purchases mainly to get additional features.

The Mobile Messaging App study conducted on device between May to June 2014 covered 455 smartphone users in India. The study showed that 95% of messaging app users in India access messaging apps multiple times in a day and that messaging apps were the preferred way for communication, bypassing even social networks and voice calls.

Young mobile users in the age group 18-24 are leading the charge on using messaging apps. Interestingly, the older generation (35 - 44 years of age) is also taking to these apps, driven by their ease of use.

Top 5 factors that influence download of mobile messaging apps are -
• Staying in touch with friends – 44%
• Sharing photos and videos – 39%
• Staying in touch with family – 30%
• Group messaging – 21%
• Cost – 18%

Browsing app stores, word-of-mouth and mobile ads are the top 3 drivers of mobile messaging apps amongst users. Advertisements on TV and outdoor appear to have limited influence on driving adoption of mobile messaging apps.

• Browsing the App Store – 47%
• Word of Mouth – 43%
• Ads on Mobile Device – 14%
• Ads on TV – 9%
• Outdoor Ads – 5%

The increased smartphone penetration in India is also contributing for greater access to mobile messaging apps. In an estimated 900 million users who are on mobile devices, nearly 10 percent are already on smartphones.

“A healthy average of three messaging apps per user indicates that messaging platforms are evolving into audience platforms that can be leveraged for entertainment and commerce.  With 38% of users likely to make a purchase on these platforms as well as a higher smartphone penetration, there will be an increase in offerings to enrich consumer experience. We also see advertisers using these platforms for emotional engagement as well as experimenting with launching services that they have already done in their home markets like Japan and China. Mobile advertising has definitely shown its effectiveness over other media for user growth,” said Jayesh Easwaramony, Vice President & General Manager, APAC, Middle East and Africa, InMobi.

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