Sharing their location with retailers in order to receive discounts may be worth the privacy risk for the majority of mobile consumers. 67.0% somewhat/strongly agree that location-based coupons are very convenient and useful according to a recent mobile survey among smartphone and tablet users conducted by Prosper Mobile Insights. Respondents answered questions directly on their mobile devices.

Further, 1 in 4 (25.6%) Mobile Users say they would prefer to receive coupons on a smartphone or tablet automatically when they are near a store. However, double that number (51.1%) would prefer to receive coupons on their device via email.

Manually searching for coupons, scanning QR codes and receiving promotional texts/IMs also rank higher than automatic location-based coupons. Receiving discounts on the spot, though, appears more popular than “checking in” through social media (only 10.3% would prefer this method):

Coupon Preferences on Smartphones/Tablets 
Receive via email: 51.1%
Manually search for them: 32.2%
Scan a QR code when inside a store: 31.9%
Receive via text or instant message: 31.0%
Receive automatically when near a store: 25.6%
Check in through social media: 10.3%

Don’t want to receive coupons at all on device: 18.1%

Source: Prosper Mobile Insights™ Mobile Survey, September-11

While 81.9% are open to receiving coupons on their smartphone or tablet in one form or another, location-based coupons do raise privacy concerns—44.8% are somewhat/very concerned about their location being tracked or other security issues. 29.6% are neutral while 25.6% are not concerned.

The majority of Mobile Users engage in shopping behaviors on their smartphones or tablets. Most conduct research: 76.4% browse or look for a product or service while 73.0% use their device to locate a store or store hours. 48.9% research specific products and 45.7% read customer reviews on their smartphone or tablet. Interestingly, 42.2% have used their smartphone or tablet as a coupon (scanning a bar code, showing a text to a cashier, etc.) Nearly 2 in 5 (39.7%) have also made a purchase directly on a mobile device and 36.2% have scanned a QR code.

Other Key Findings Among Mobile Users: 

•     44.0% admit they communicate more impersonally (text/IM) with their loved ones as a result of owning a smartphone or tablet. However, 56.0% say they call loved ones more often than they text. 16.4% say calling and texting is 50/50, while 27.6% text significant others more often.
•     88.7% regularly or occasionally use a smartphone or tablet at work while 86.7% take their devices to outdoor activities. 77.0% bring smartphones or tablets along to nightclubs, 75.4% use them in the bathroom and 71.6% are active on their devices while eating a family meal.
•     Mobile users take their devices everywhere, right? Actually, the majority do not use their smartphones or tablets in church (67.4%) or at the movie theater (57.4%).

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• More than a quarter of U.S. adults plan mobile shoping
• Geo-targeting nabs one in five smartphone users
• Study says: iPhone share could double in 12 months
• Tablet & smartphones generating strong ad engagement

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