A recent study by ARC worldwide examines how mobile applications are redefining how people shop. Business leaders are under increasing pressure to adopt and adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace.

Some key findings from the report are:

• There are multiple paths to purchase and they are not liner or predictable.
  The bottom line: Give people the access they want when they want it.
• Category norms are no longer normal.
  Mobile applications are changing behavior. Once carefully considered purchases are now being researched more casually. The bottom line: Think outside the norms for your business category when developing mobile applications.
• Not all mobile shoppers are created equal.
  While 50% of mobile phone owners shop with their devices, only 20% are considered “heavy” users of the technology. The bottom line: More growth will come from the 80% of “light” users.
• The “light” shoppers will define the future of mobile shopping.
  As mobile shopping moves to mainstream, the largest segment of users set the tone for mobile experiences. The bottom line: Emphasize the practical benefits of mobile shopping to get the biggest paybacks from your custom mobile apps.
• Not all mobile activities are created equal.
  Some existing applications make sense to extend to the mobile space. Other applications may not. The bottom line: Leverage your existing assets where you can. Innovate where innovation opportunities exist.

The details of this study can be found here.

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