GLASGOW: Digital marketers should consider targeting commuters who are increasingly browsing and shopping online on their way to and from work, a survey has said.
Geometry Global, a brand activation agency, surveyed 2,000 UK consumers with regard to their use of smartphones and tablets to research and buy products whilst commuting and found that 89% had done so.
Most (59%) had started doing this primarily for convenience, believing that it saved them time in the long run, and half (51%) expected they would do even more shopping while commuting in the future, The Drum reported.
Travel was the most popular category researched, with one third of respondents using their commute to plan holidays. Actual purchases, however, were focused on music and books (23%), clothes (22%) and food (17%).
"The identification of commuter commerce highlights a significant opportunity for brands and retailers to capitalise on this trend," said Pietro Leone, EMEA CEO for Geometry Global.
"This is a highly valuable group of shoppers that are affluent, engaged and actively researching and spending," he added.
Brands which understood how best to tap into two key times of day would reap benefits, the report suggested.
Retailers are already targeting this group in the UK's capital city, as they seek partnerships with Transport for London, which runs the London Underground network, to develop click-and-collect services.
Asda, the grocer, is running a trial scheme at six Tube stations which enables shoppers to order online and then pick up the goods from the station car park on their way home from work. As well as widening access to Asda, the store believes commuters will welcome not having to carry their shopping on crowded rush hour trains.
Amazon is also exploring this channel. Transport for London recently announced plans to close all its ticket offices at stations and told the Financial Times it was talking to the online retail giant about converting them into pick-up points for customer orders.
Geometry Global, a brand activation agency, surveyed 2,000 UK consumers with regard to their use of smartphones and tablets to research and buy products whilst commuting and found that 89% had done so.
Most (59%) had started doing this primarily for convenience, believing that it saved them time in the long run, and half (51%) expected they would do even more shopping while commuting in the future, The Drum reported.
Travel was the most popular category researched, with one third of respondents using their commute to plan holidays. Actual purchases, however, were focused on music and books (23%), clothes (22%) and food (17%).
"The identification of commuter commerce highlights a significant opportunity for brands and retailers to capitalise on this trend," said Pietro Leone, EMEA CEO for Geometry Global.
"This is a highly valuable group of shoppers that are affluent, engaged and actively researching and spending," he added.
Brands which understood how best to tap into two key times of day would reap benefits, the report suggested.
Retailers are already targeting this group in the UK's capital city, as they seek partnerships with Transport for London, which runs the London Underground network, to develop click-and-collect services.
Asda, the grocer, is running a trial scheme at six Tube stations which enables shoppers to order online and then pick up the goods from the station car park on their way home from work. As well as widening access to Asda, the store believes commuters will welcome not having to carry their shopping on crowded rush hour trains.
Amazon is also exploring this channel. Transport for London recently announced plans to close all its ticket offices at stations and told the Financial Times it was talking to the online retail giant about converting them into pick-up points for customer orders.
Data sourced from The Drum, Guardian, Financial Times; additional content by Warc staff
