Mobile-first shopping on the rise

A survey on Filipino shopping habits has found that Filipinos are more likely to start their holiday shopping by browsing products on mobile devices instead of going window shopping.

A study commissioned by Facebook found that three in five Filipino shoppers surveyed agree that using mobile devices for their holiday shopping helps them make more informed decisions. Fifty percent of shoppers agree that it is more convenient than going to a store while 35 percent of those who want to change their shopping habits plan to shift their shopping to mobile devices.

“Filipinos think about Christmas as early as September, and while they may not be in physical stores yet, seeing products online on Facebook or Instagram is just as powerful as window shopping--it helps make products and brands top of mind for when consumers need to start deciding on a purchase,” said John Rubio, Facebook Philippines director.

Ninety-four percent of those surveyed said Facebook influences their holiday shopping while 67 percent claimed Instagram influenced them.

Even while browsing in stores, shoppers continue to use mobile devices to do some research while deciding what to purchase. Sixty-four percent said they continue browsing the internet on their phones while walking the aisles of shopping centers to come to a decision while 72 percent of respondents said they browse to compare prices.