A study from the Mobile Marketing Association and Sybase 365 predicts that 62 percent of mobile consumers will use their devices to make purchases this holiday season.

The study shows an increase in consumer trust with using mobile to make purchasing decisions from 2010, which predicted only 32 percent of consumers to use their mobile devices to aid in making purchases. The study also looked at how deals and offers play a role in getting consumers to use their mobile devices.

“For marketers, the advice is to look at the overarching trend that this study reinforces,” said Michael Becker, San Mateo, CA-based North America managing director for the MMA.

 “As a brand, it is imperative to incorporate mobile into strategy,” he said.

Count on mobile
The MMA and Sybase 365 survey asked 1,000 consumers how they used their mobile devices.

Although the main drive for using mobile devices for purchasing decisions is connected with deals and offers, consumers are also willing to use their devices to make a purchasing decision easier.

Fifty-six percent of consumers surveyed said they would use their mobile device to find a store location, compare prices, research deals and coupons, find a product or make a purchase.

From these consumers, 38 percent of consumers would use mobile devices to find a store location, 34 percent would use mobile to compare prices, 28 percent would use mobile to research deals and coupons and 27 percent would use mobile to find a product review.

Twenty-two percent of consumers who would use their mobile device for something unrelated to coupons would make a purchase on their devices.

“In the past year, we have a 30 percent smartphone penetration in the market and it is expected to be around 40 to 50 percent by the end of this year,” Mr. Becker said.

“We’ve gone beyond getting a critical mass of consumers adapting to mobile,” he said.

“Now brands have to build all pieces of a mobile strategy to do it at scale.”

Secure payments
Security remains one of the main reasons why consumers are uncomfortable forking over money via mobile.

Twenty-five percent of consumers surveyed said they would make a mobile payment if it was tied to their financial institution.

Similarly, 22 percent of consumers would make a mobile payment if it was done through a payment solution such as PayPal.

Eighteen percent of consumers surveyed said they would be influenced by a credit card company to make a mobile payment.

Consumers are also been influenced by mobile by being more aware of mobile campaigns.

Fifty-three percent of respondents in the study said they were aware of existing mobile campaigns from mass merchant companies including Target, Best Buy and Groupon.

“This holiday shopping study reinforces the understanding that consumers are on mobile, and therefore, as a marketer, you have to be there as well,” Mr. Becker said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York