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Compuware Survey Shows How Long You've Got To Sell To Mobile Online Shoppers: Three Seconds

DETROIT (WWJ) -- If you're trying to sell something online via mobile devices, a new survey from Compuware Corp. (Nasdaq: CPWR) shows you how long you've got to grab the attention of mobile shoppers.

Three seconds. Or else.

Harris Interactive conducted the survey for Compuware to determine the extent and nature of mobile shopping for the 2013 holiday season. Download the report here.

The survey showed 49 percent of smartphone and tablet users intend to use their mobile devices to search for or buy gifts this holiday season, and 36 percent plan to do more shopping via their devices this year than last.

The findings also show that performance of retailers' mobile websites and native applications can have a major impact on bottom line success during peak shopping periods, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond.

Key findings from the survey highlight the importance of new generation APM:
• Mobile Shopping Adoption: 49 percent of smartphone/tablet users intend to use their mobile devices to search for and/or buy gifts this year, with a remarkable 36 percent of users saying they will do more shopping in 2013 via their devices than last year.
• Mobile Performance is Critical: A resounding 37 percent of smartphone and tablet users will abandon sales to shop elsewhere if a retailer's mobile site or mobile application doesn't load within three seconds. The number who will abandon sites rises to 45 percent for smartphone/tablet users aged 18 to 34. One second too long and they're lost to the competition.
• Mobile Generation Leading the Way: The younger the buyer, the more likely he or she is to shop by smartphone or tablet. In fact, 66 percent of "Mobile Generation" (smartphone/tablet users 18 to 34 years old) will search and/or buy via mobile devices this holiday season and 53 percent will do more holiday shopping this year on their smartphone/tablet this year than last year.
• Barrier to Future Sales: Just one disappointed user is all it takes, as 29 percent of smartphone/tablet users who have a poor online shopping experience say they are likely to complain on social media. This means that disappointed users can cause substantial collateral damage to brand reputations through negative commentary and ratings.
• Mobile Devices Pose a Complexity Challenge:Retailers need to factor multi-device usage into their online strategies and user experiences, as 36 percent of smartphone and tablet users will use more than one device to search for or purchase gifts this holiday season. So, e-commerce organizations will need to deliver seamless and intuitive experiences across a wide range of device types and mobile browsers.
• Native Application Performance Will Be Essential: 34 percent of smartphone/tablet users will be using company-specific native applications this holiday season. This makes complexity challenges difficult as performance needs to be maintained across multiple application versions and platforms created for different devices.

The study surveyed 2,025 U.S. adults age 18 and older, among which 1,191 are smartphone tablet users, in advance of the holiday shopping season.

Compuware also said the importance of performance does not end with the 2013 holiday shopping season. More "rush" events where mobile websites and applications are expected to perform under peak traf?c are right around the corner. The Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, the Winter Olympics and the World Cup are a few upcoming opportunities to win or lose mobile customers.

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