New findings from Attentive, an AI-powered SMS and email marketing platform, show that nearly half of Brits (46%) confess to shopping on their phones while at work. This data highlights the growing trend of mobile shopping and its role in the consumer buying journey.
Gen X Leads Mobile Shopping Habits During Work Hours
Interestingly, the research revealed that Gen X was the most frequent offender, with over 50% admitting to shopping on their phones during work hours. By comparison, 46% of Millennials and 43% of Gen Z respondents also engaged in mobile shopping while on the job. The study also found that outside the workplace, 80% of shoppers were most likely to make purchases while watching TV, demonstrating that multitasking has become a standard aspect of the online shopping experience.
SMS Marketing: A Powerful Driver of Sales and Brand Loyalty
The survey highlights the increasing significance of SMS marketing as a crucial factor in driving both sales and customer loyalty. With mobile devices constantly within arm’s reach, brands are turning to personalised text messages to connect with customers in real time. In fact, 93% of respondents either currently receive texts from brands or would be open to doing so in the future, with Gen Z and Millennials representing the highest number of current subscribers to SMS marketing.
SMS prompts have proven effective at encouraging purchases, with 74% of those surveyed stating that receiving a text about a sale would likely lead them to buy, while 54% had already made purchases directly from SMS messages. Additionally, 50% reported making unplanned purchases as a result of receiving text messages, showing that SMS marketing significantly influences consumer behaviour.
Busting SMS Marketing Myths
Contrary to the belief that SMS marketing is only effective for low-cost items, the survey found that one in five respondents had spent more than £100 on a product marketed to them via SMS. Moreover, the research highlights a significant opportunity for brands to attract new SMS subscribers from Gen X and Baby Boomer demographics. 60% of these respondents indicated they would consider joining an SMS programme, dispelling the misconception that only younger consumers engage with this marketing channel.
Personalisation Through AI: The Key to SMS Success
For SMS marketing to be successful, messages must be tailored to each consumer’s preferences and needs. More than half (52%) of respondents expressed a desire for brands to improve personalisation in their communications. With AI-powered tools like Attentive AI™, brands can provide 1:1 personalisation at scale, delivering hyper-targeted messaging that resonates with individual consumers.
By leveraging real-time data analytics, businesses can send personalised messages based on customer behaviour, creating a seamless shopping experience. The Inkey List, for example, uses Attentive’s SMS marketing solution to enhance customer engagement. Georgie Little, Head of Retention and Loyalty at Inkey List, explained: “SMS allows us to react quickly to trends and deliver fun, creative content, making it an ideal complement to email marketing.”
SMS Marketing’s Influence on Black Friday and Cyber Monday
SMS marketing also plays a critical role during peak shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM). The survey found that 64% of UK consumers made a purchase after receiving SMS messages during last year’s BFCM sales, with 21% of those buyers making more than half of their purchases in response to SMS messages.