Mobext unveils study on Indian consumer behaviour on the mobile

For 80 per cent consumers, mobile is the primary device. About 28 per cent of mobile users shopped on their device in the last month, 44 per cent of total media time is spent on the mobile, and 47 per cent of Asian advertisers state that mobile will be as important as TV in the next two years.

Mobext India, the mobile marketing network of Havas Digital, carried out a global study titled 'Role of the connected device in the branding and buying cycle of a consumer' jointly with Inmobi, the mobile advertising network. The study explained how consumers use their connected device, which in turn impacts shopping and media consumption habits.

Mobext also studied 'Asian Advertisers/Marketers' attitude towards Mobile Marketing' across 260 respondents in six Asian markets that includes Indonesia, Philippines, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia to unveil various thoughts and concerns.

The study was conducted uniquely across mobile/smartphone, laptop and tablet users. The devices survey examined the media consumption habits of more than 2,800 respondents in India. For 80 per cent of the respondents, mobile or smartphone was the primary device, while 13 per cent voted for the laptop or desktop and 7 per cent mentioned tablet. The average connected Indian consumes nine hours of media daily, with mobile representing 44 per cent of it.

The tablet usage peaks between 6 pm to midnight and is used at home, while mobiles or smartphones and laptops are used between 9 am-11 pm and are the primary access devices from office.

"As Indian consumers are increasingly spending more time on their mobile devices and using them differently for different purposes, brands have more opportunities to interact meaningfully with their customers. Media planners can take advantage of their unique roles in the decision making process by optimising the connected device path to purchase to create a holistic media/advertising strategy," says Anita Nayyar, CEO, Havas Media, India and South Asia.

The study revealed that the mobile or smartphone was on top of the choice list as 46 per cent use it as the preferred device for communication, while 43 per cent use it for entertainment and 40 per cent use it to seek information. For shopping, 32 per cent use mobile and 23 per cent use laptop or desktop as the next choice. This shows how the mobile will play a significant role in a purchase decision in India.

It was also found that device purchase consumed other media consumption habits - 21 per cent of smartphone users read a book in print less, while 22 per cent watched less TV and 16 per cent reduced time on the internet via a laptop. Thirty per cent of tablet purchasers read fewer books in print and 31 per cent watch less TV.

Moreover, in-store behaviour is also affected as 15.7 per cent of smartphone buyers and 16 per cent of tablet buyers visited a physical store less.

"It is not about mobile but mobility which has created a paradigm shift in the way consumers access media, search for information and shop. These studies reflect our endeavour to understand this behaviour, enable us to create engaging, compelling and meaningful conversation both with brands and consumers," adds Arnav Ghosh, general manager, Mobext, India and South Asia.

For the records, Mobext India is the mobile marketing agency network under the aegis of Havas Digital, the flagship digital brand of Havas Media. Mobext India was launched in 2011 as the first agency within the network in Asia Pacific. It currently operates in 19 countries globally. Its clients in India include Tuborg, Westside, Carlsberg, Regal Shoes and Airtel, among others.