American consumers are increasingly using smartphones for a variety of tasks, and these devices are now moving into the shopping realm, especially as the holiday season approaches. Many retailers are gearing up for this trend, as a significant amount of holiday sales are expected to come from smartphones this year.

A recent study by Deloitte found that approximately 50 percent of American consumers own smartphones, and nearly 70 percent of those plan to use their devices to buy items and gifts for the holidays. The research also found that the shoppers who will be using their mobile devices will be spending 72 percent more on products that the customers who do not use smartphones.

"We anticipate that retailers will increasingly interact with mobile shoppers this holiday season," stated Alison Paul, vice president of Deloitte LLP. "This holiday season, branded applications, Wi-Fi connectivity and personalized, location-based promotions from retailers can enable shoppers to make an immediate buying decision in the store."

One large retailers is getting in on the mobile holiday trend. The Motley Fool reports that Wal-Mart is hoping to make shopping in their stores easier for smartphone users over the coming weeks. The company has created a mobile app that customers can download to navigate the aisles as they search for items and gifts. The app also gives consumers the chance to buy products directly from Wal-Mart's website if it's out of stock or they are not able to carry it home themselves.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, November 19th, 2012 at 4:33 am .