Mobile Commerce Becoming Mainstream Faster than E-Commerce Did

“The mobile platform is maturing much faster than the PC platform," says Larry Freed, ForeSee CEO. "We see it in the rate of consumer adoption, and fortunately we are seeing it in how well the top retailers are adapting to multichannel consumers." 

That should not be too surprising, as the mobile commerce experience builds on user familiarity and comfort with the older PC-based online shopping experience. 

A new study also suggests showrooming —the practice of examining merchandise in a traditional brick-and-mortar retail store only to shop online for the same item, often at a lower price--is more complex than sometimes is thought.

While nearly 70 percent of surveyed shoppers reported using a mobile phone while in a retail store during the 2012 holiday season, most of those consumers (62 percent) accessed that store’s site or app. In other words, they stayed within the retailer's domain. 

On the other hand, some 37 percent also reported accessing a competitor’s site or app. So the showrooming danger remains quite high.