Only four mobile apps used regularly, reveals study

Only four mobile apps are used regularly by UK consumers, according to new research.

Only four mobile apps are used regularly by UK consumers, according to new research.

The most frequently used apps are for practical purposes such as journey planning, searching for locations, booking tickets or finding voucher deals.

The most successful apps were those that had become part of a user’s daily routine, the study by user experience agency Webcredible found.

40% of people taking part in the study had used location-sensitive apps from their phones to find the nearest hotel or coffee shop, while 90% used their phones to get quick, necessary shopping tasks done when they were commuting.

None of the participants said they would make an expensive purchase, such as a laptop or car, on their phones, instead preferring to use a PC to view bigger images.

Similarly, none would engage in grocery shopping from their phones; citing the small screen making the process tedious and time-consuming.

The study into smartphone user behaviour in relation to m-commerce was conducted over a period of three weeks. The sample group was made up of 15 participants – a mix of men and women aged between 20 and 55 – covering all social groups.

Webcredible founder and commercial director Trenton Moss said: “The growth in the number of smartphone users accessing online retail sites and apps presents both an opportunity and a threat for retailers.

“Mobile access provides more opportunities to engage with consumers, but it also empowers consumers to easily research and compare between competitors at the point of sale.”

He added: “Our research was designed to discover the underlying natural behaviours of users – we found that some key behavioural patterns are widespread across multiple segments of society, revealing trends that retailers can use to build great mobile user experiences.”

All of the eight female participants in the study had a voucher app, such as Groupon or Living Social, installed on their phones, which they would check first thing in the morning on their way to work. None of the male participants had voucher apps.

Of the female participants, 90% had installed apps that had been recommended to them by friends or family.

60% had tried the barcode scan feature of some apps, but did not use it regularly.

80% of the group did not know what the term QR (quick response) code meant.

All of the female sample window shopped from their phones, but would only rarely buy fashion items, preferring to make these purchases on a PC where they could appreciate details such as fabric and colour.

However, 20% said they would buy something from their phones that they had previously seen in-store.

The research concluded that all participants used their mobile phones the most during activities which could be classed as ‘wasted time’, such as commuting, waiting in queues and eating alone.

They performed quick, short tasks on their smartphones to get things out of the way and better manage their time.