Two in Five Shoppers Want to Make More Mobile Payments

In the US and Europe, internet users are less enthusiastic than average

November 10, 2016 | Retail & Ecommerce

Internet users around the world rely on their mobile devices more all the time, and mobile shopping is becoming more popular. But most internet users in the US and Europe aren’t particularly excited about making more transactions on their phones.

In August 2016, GfK surveyed 20,000 internet users ages 18 and older from 20 countries about their mobile shopping habits.

Respondents in the US and Europe appeared less enthusiastic about the ability to buy products or services on their mobile devices. While 26% of Americans and 28% of Europeans said they looked forward to making more transactions on their mobile devices, more than half of internet users from Asia-Pacific (51%) or Latin America (65%) felt this way.

Security fears may be one of the reasons why some US shoppers aren’t too keen on making more purchases on their mobile devices. The same study also found that 55% of US respondents were concerned about their personal information when using mobile payment apps. A year earlier, GfK had found 52% who felt this way.

eMarketer estimates that 38.4 million Americans ages 14 and over will make mobile proximity payments this year. Most of them will be young, and they’ll spend a collective $27.67 billion. That figure will more than double in 2017.