The Growing Trend of Comparing Shopping on Your Mobile Phone

It's Obvious that Online Comparison Shopping is More Efficient Than Pounding the Pavement and Searching Local Retail Stores for the Best Deals and Prices

We live in a world where we can do just about anything from a computer; chat with people in other countries, trade stocks, visit exotic locations that would never be seen otherwise; rent DVDs, and of course engage in the growing trend of comparison shopping. The Internet is gaining in popularity at an exponential rate and as adoption for broadband increases, so does the opportunity for consumers to compare prices for products and services as they look for the best deals on the web. Based on a recent ComScore study, 55 percent of Internet users now have broadband access at home; and are more likely to engage in online comparison shopping. Even better is that the majority of US consumers also have a mobile phone; and combined, takes comparison shopping to the next level.

It’s no secret that the Internet is the bargain shopper’s dream comes true. It has been for the last several years. For consumers that are concerned about stretching their dollars, finding the best deals, and getting what they want at rock-bottom prices, then the Internet is the greatest shopping tool to ever exist. Why? Because prices are often much cheaper online than they are at local retailers. The only caveat is that consumers cannot touch and feel the products before the actual purchase; a problem now alleviated with the use of mobile phones delivering the results in voice format.

It’s obvious that online comparison shopping is more efficient than pounding the pavement and searching local retail stores for the best deals and prices. However, consumers today still like to touch and feel products before making that purchase decision; a hard task to do through a computer. The fact is that consumers still enjoy spending their weekends at the mall, conversing with friends and family as they hunt for bargains and touch and feel products before buying them. Until these online comparison websites can provide the entire customer experience from beginning to end, they will never capture the full attention of value conscious consumers.

Is there an alternative?