MASTERING

THE COMPLEXITY
of mobile with simplicity.
2015 Adobe Mobile Consumer Report

November 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 Key insights and findings.

7 Four industries, four kinds of mobile behavior.

7 Financial services
10 Travel and hospitality
13 Media and entertainment
16 Retail

19 Growing trust in mobile wallet and multi-channel shopping.

20 Emerging technologies make interacting fun.

21 Create mobile moments that are easy to enjoy—and your

customers will follow.

22 Four strategies for the mobile relevant marketer.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 2

With the proliic rise of mobile devices and their One way to deliver experiences that are meaningful To that end, Adobe conducted a survey to help
ability to ofer tailor-made experiences at home and that allow consumers to more easily get marketing professionals understand consumer
or on the go, it’s no surprise that mobile is the key what they want, when they want it, is to ofer behavior in the market on a deeper level. he
starting point for consumer brand engagement. personalized experiences based upon their behavior, Adobe Mobile Consumer Report seeks to help
Today’s mobile users have an insatiable appetite age and interests. An organization that delivers a marketers beter understand consumer behavior
for mobile satisfaction—and companies that personalized experience and fulills its promises and, in turn, provide guidance for senior executives
miss the mark are consequently folding to the across channels has a greater ability to atract, on the tactics and technologies needed to deliver
competition. If consumers can’t ind what they convert and retain customers. In doing so, that exceptional customer experiences. To help
want, when they want it, they’ll ind another organization creates relationships that inspire loyalty, marketers understand where the bar is for mobile
brand in as litle as two minutes who will deliver.1 reduce acquisition costs and increase the customer’s experience, Adobe surveyed over 4,000 consumers
In a mobile-irst era where consumers will retry lifetime value to the brand. 3 Personalization is a key in the United States, United Kingdom, France and
an app only one or two times2, it’s critical that component of uniied customer experiences, and Germany to learn how satisied they are with their
brands go beyond making a irst impression and with the rise of valuable new consumer groups, mobile app and mobile website experiences.
fashion mobile experience on a deeper level. 2 the pressure is on to win new customers and build
loyalty with existing followers. he survey probed consumers for a wide range of
he obvious answer is to remove the cluter, behavior across the inancial services, travel and
leaving the consumer with a simpler experience Born and raised on technology, Millennials are a hospitality, media and entertainment, and retail
as they look for the content they want. Such force to be reckoned with—and a demographic that industries to get a pulse on how customers interact
well-designed, seamless and elegant interactions brands can’t aford to fall short on. At 83.1 million within diferent industries. In this study, you’ll
are the holy grail of experience. But what few strong, Millennials are the largest generation in discover key trends from today’s mobile consumer
organizations know is that behind such intuitive U.S. history.4 And in the U.S. alone, they’re expected such as the activities they engage in the most,
design is a process that’s rife with complexity. to spend about $200 billion annually by 2017.5 As the elements in mobile experiences that receive
Consumer behavior varies by region, industry, age they grow in importance, it becomes even more the highest scores and the benchmarks and best
and even within segments—what’s simple and crucial for brands to embrace mobile and invest in practices your company can take to raise your own
easy to use for one group may be cumbersome the tactics and technologies that deliver engaging mobile experience bar.
for another. With all kinds of customers accessing mobile experiences. To win customers and keep
mobile from diferent points along their journeys, an edge over the competition, it’s time to go past
and each of them searching for a unique the surface and discover how to connect with
experience, it becomes critical for organizations to customers on a deeper, more meaningful level.
serve each customer the experience they desire.

October 2015
November 2015| Mastering thethe
| Mastering complexity of of
complexity mobile with
mobile simplicity.
with simplicity. 3
Key insights and FINDINGS.
Mobile elites and the rise of Millennials.
Last year, Adobe introduced a new segment of mobile followers: the mobile elite. hese tech- and culturally SURVEY SAMPLE DEMOGRAPHICS
savvy individuals make up approximately 20 percent of the general population and are farther along in the
mobile adoption curve than the rest of the population. But as diminutive as that number sounds, there’s
nothing small about the impact mobile elites leave on businesses. his 20 percent of consumers is actively
responsible for 80 percent of your business—they’re engaging in more activities and spending more money
than your average customer.

Members of the mobile elite are deeply connected to their mobile devices and see their smartphones and
tablets as their primary device for purchases. And while they’re considered your most valuable customers,
it’s important to consider other inluential segments—such as Millennials and Generation X—that require
their own degree of analysis and segmentation. Of the total U.S. consumers surveyed, 44 percent reported
themselves as Millennials and 29 percent as Gen Xers, compared to the 20 percent who claimed to be Baby
Boomers and the 7 percent who were 70 and over.

Despite being known for generational diferences from political beliefs to social issues, the survey results
indicate that Millennials and Gen Xers tend to behave similarly when it comes to their mobile devices.
Overall, Millennials and Gen X consumers tend to be:

• Much more active on their mobile devices

• More likely to use a smartphone as a primary device
• More likely to have tried emerging technologies on their mobile devices, such as mobile
wallets and augmented reality apps
• More likely to ind media-related activities to be important
• Less likely to frequently use a tablet

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 4

Smartphones continue to reign. How app and website satisfaction stacks up.
he Adobe Digital Index reports that seven out of eight mobile launches are from Consumers downloaded a relatively low number of new apps in the past three
a smartphone, so it’s no surprise that 92 percent of respondents consider their months, with 31 percent downloading between three to ive apps and as much as 21
smartphone to be their primary device.6 his is especially true for Millennials and percent downloading none. Before downloading an app, consumers ind information
Gen Xers. Ninety-two percent of Millennials and 84 percent of Gen Xers use their by visiting the app store, obtaining recommendations from people they know and
smartphones as their primary device compared to 69 percent of Boomers and 67 performing online searches. When asked what was their primary way to access
percent of those in the 70+ group. inance, travel, media and retail apps for the irst time, 28 percent reported browsing
an app store.
While 72 percent of total survey respondents own tablets, Boomers and consumers
over 70 report higher usage than the younger demographics. For those who own Looking back at their overall experience using inance, travel, media and retail-
tablets, 87 percent report using them at home and 66 percent use these larger related apps, about 55 percent reported being satisied, with media- and inance-
form factors every day. One diference between smartphones and tablets is that related apps receiving the highest ratings. Satisfaction is similar for mobile websites,
consumers seem to use tablets similarly to the way they use desktop and laptops. although travel and hospitality websites receive higher satisfaction than apps.
his may be one of the main reasons why tablet usage is highest at home. Top Overall satisfaction and usage ratings from France and Germany respondents are the
activities for consumers while using their tablets include reading emails, (72 percent) lowest, possibly indicating that these markets are not as evolved as the U.S. and the
playing games (60 percent), sending emails (60 percent) and shopping (55 percent). U.K., which behave somewhat similarly.
Globally, France and Germany consumers spend the least amount of time on tablets.
SATISFACTION WITH APPS SATISFACTION WITH WEBSITES
U.S. survey respondents are mostly split in terms of mobile OS—about 52 percent
own Android smartphones and 48 percent have Apple iPhones. Consumers in
the U.K. tend to behave similarly to U.S. consumers, so it’s not surprising that U.K.
respondents reported similar igures. Survey respondents in France and Germany Satisfaction is similar
for both apps and
show strong Android ownership at 68 percent and 69 percent respectively. iOS
websites, with
owners are more likely to purchase and show more frequent and larger purchases. inancial and media
Android owners show larger numbers for browsing, searching and sharing. While apps receiving the
it appears that mobile users are fairly split between mobile operating systems, highest satisfaction in
the U.S. market.
marketers should note that iOS still accounts for more launches of branded apps
than Android. According to the Adobe Digital Index 2015 Mobile Benchmark Report,
63 percent of app launches come from iPhones and iPads compared to only 36.4
percent originating from Android smartphones or tablets.7

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 5

 IMPORTANCE OF TASK IMPORTANCE OF A PERSONALIZED
Elements of experience. SIMPLIFICATION ON APPS EXPERIENCE ON APPS

Consumers report how important various elements are to their overall mobile app
and web experience using inance, travel, media and retail apps. Simpliied tasks
and personalization are the two common elements that consumers in each market
segment were asked to rate. As consumers expect to quickly ind the answers they
seek on their mobile devices, it’s no surprise that simpliied tasks rate highly in
importance for mobile apps. To connect users with the experience they value most,
companies like Google create separate apps for single customer experiences, such as
email, maps and navigation.8

At irst glance, it may appear on the charts that personalization is not as important
as simplifying tasks. Marketers are aware of personalization, but consumers
may have trouble gauging what an optimal personalized experience looks like.
Despite the ratings in this study, organizations continue to see lits from deploying
personalization. In Forrester’s Personalization and the Rise of Individualized
Experiences report, shoemaker Rockport increased its average order value
by 32 percent and its conversion rate by 10 percent by adding personalized IMPORTANCE OF TASK IMPORTANCE OF A PERSONALIZED
SIMPLIFICATION ON WEBSITES EXPERIENCE ON WEBSITES
recommendations.9 In the same study, 68 percent of U.S. and U.K. consumers expect
the information they provide a company in one place to be available in another.10

In the Adobe survey Closing the Gap: Why It’s Time For Retailers to Rethink
Personalization, 71 percent of consumers said they like receiving personalized ofers,
but 20 percent believe that the ads are not done well.11 With most consumers
showing concern over the privacy of their personal data, marketers must focus on
creating meaningful personalization that’s non-intrusive.

Mobile websites received similar scores as mobile apps when it came to how
important simpliied tasks and personalization are to overall experience. Simpliication
is especially important for travel- and inance-related activities, as both market
segments tend to have more disclosures and products with higher purchase points.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 6

FOUR INDUSTRIES,
four kinds of mobile behavior.
he Adobe Digital Index 2015 Mobile Benchmark study reports that apps are Financial services: Trends
growing more than mobile browsing year over year, and at diferent rates
Adobe surveyed consumers to ind out the top inancial services activities they
across industries.12 To further understand the diferences between some of the
engage in—and the ones marketers should seek to optimize the most. he results
top industries, the 2015 Adobe Mobile Consumer Report took a deep dive into
show that U.S. consumers continue to spend the majority of their time engaging
consumer behavior across the inancial services, travel and hospitality, media and
in active banking activities such as checking their account balances (82 percent),
entertainment, and retail sectors. From researching purchases to consuming content,
conducting bank transactions (77 percent) and making person-to-person payments
consumers engage in speciic activities across industries—and place diferent
(68 percent). he U.K. reports similar usage, with consumers in France and Germany
weight on what’s important in their mobile experiences. Behind every chart is a
spending the majority of their time on personal banking.
complex tale of behavior paterns that may provide additional insight into consumer
interactions, their preferences for mobile apps or web and how they score their As time progresses and banks ofer improved mobile experiences, customers are
mobile experiences. becoming more comfortable with mobile banking. Mobile apps are the preferred
APP LAUNCH GROWTH BY INDUSTRY AND REGION YOY Q2 2015 channel for banking transactions, with over two thirds of respondents in favor.
But when consumers land in the consideration phase, such as requesting quotes
or researching new inancial products, most of them opt for mobile web. Looking
at generational diferences, Millennials and Gen X respondents are less likely to
prefer mobile web, preferring apps especially for activities such as person-to-person
payments.

Source: Adobe Perhaps the most telling survey data for inancial services is the number of
Mobile Services and
Adobe Analytics consumers applying for new accounts. Of the total U.S. consumers surveyed, a
combined 43 percent of respondents are applying for new bank accounts, credit
cards, loans, or brokerage accounts from their mobile device—and it’s the younger
generations that are more likely to apply. Twenty-percent of Millennials and 14
percent of Gen X respondents would apply for a new account or loan compared to
only 2 percent of Boomers and 0 percent of the 70+ age group.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 7

 Frequency of finance activities

ACTIVITIES ON MOBILE DEVICE PREFERENCE FOR MOBILE WEBSITE VS. APP

Review bank
account information

Conduct
bank transactions

Review brokerage account,

individual stocks or
mutual fund positions

Make person-to-person
payments

Research new investments,

stocks, mutual funds, etc.

Conduct stock and

mutual fund transactions
(buy or sell)

Research or shop for new

inancial accounts or
insurance policies

Apply for a new bank,

credit card, loan or
brokerage account

Request a quote for

an insurance policy
or loan rate

Daily Weekly Monthly Every other month or < Never

October 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 8

Financial services: Opportunities
Given the promising amount of consumers applying for new accounts, the best When asked how important a brand’s desktop, mobile app and mobile website
opportunity for marketers lies within using the mobile channel to acquire new experience are when selecting a new inancial institution, survey respondents found
accounts and to cross-sell existing customers. And with Millennials and Gen Xers digital channels to be highly important. Over half of the respondents report that a
spending more time engaging in inancial services–related activities than older brand’s desktop experience is key in selecting a new inancial institution, with 54
generations, it’s clear that marketers will need to increase their focus on tailoring the percent citing the mobile website experience as important and 50 percent relying
account enrollment experience toward younger demographics. As Millennials grow on the mobile app experience. For marketers, the opportunity here is to portray a
older and more aluent, delivering targeted experiences to this demographic now consistent, uniied experience across all channels.
may help build a loyal and wealthy customer base.
As more consumers adopt mobile for their inance-related activities, it’s possible the
Of the four industries surveyed in the 2015 Adobe Mobile Consumer Report, industry may see mobile-only banks on the horizon. In fact, according to our study,
consumers across the board report the highest satisfaction with inancial service– 61 percent of U.S. consumers would consider a mobile-only bank. U.K. consumers
related apps and websites. Mobile elites are especially satisied with their mobile app and Germany are also supportive of a mobile-only bank, but only a third of
and website experiences. As inance has traditionally lagged in adoption compared consumers in France showed interest. Of the four generations Adobe surveyed, Gen
to other industries, the data may indicate that higher satisfaction is geared toward Xers are the most likely of all four groups to consider a mobile-only bank.
basic banking activities. In a recent Forrester report, banks performed well in ofering
primary services such as balance checking and money transfers. But instead of IMPORTANT FACTORS WHEN CHOOSING A NEW FINANCIAL SERVICES INSTITUTION
improving functionality and anticipating customer needs, many large banks simply
ofer the same experience as competitors. For holistic satisfaction, it’s essential for MOBILE APP
marketers to move beyond the status quo and ofer customers the functionality and
experiences they desire.13

With 78 percent of the mobile elite rating simpliication as a critical element to MOBILE WEBSITE
their mobile experience, it’s crucial for inancial institutions to deliver simpliied
experiences. Today’s busy consumers need to have the information they seek readily
available, so tactics such as the ability to access basic account information without
DESKTOP WEBSITE
full authentication are picking up speed.14 Making processes simpler and easier for (NON-MOBILE)

consumers can translate into increased business for irms. According to Forrester,
by simplifying the process for making multiple payments, Commonwealth Bank of
Australia witnessed mobile bankers transfer more than $6.7 billion in 18 months.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 9

Travel and hospitality: Trends
Whether they’re self-proclaimed road warriors or leisure travelers, consumers in all Millennials and Gen X consumers are more likely to perform a wide variety of travel-
four regions spend most of their travel-related time considering future excursions. related activities compared to Boomers and those over 70. For instance, 69 percent
Top activities for U.S. travelers include checking reviews (81 percent), researching of Millennials and 60 percent of Gen Xers use their devices to access maps or
travel destinations (81 percent) and comparing travel prices between companies directions compared to 46 percent of Boomers and 45 percent of the 70+ segment.
(74 percent). Similar to consumer behavior in other industries, travelers prefer Fity-percent of Millennials and 42 percent of Gen Xers rely more heavily on online
using mobile web for researching their options. Once consumers ind the best deal, reviews, compared to Boomers (26 percent) and the 70+ group (15 percent).
about 68 percent of respondents book accommodations using their mobile device.
Respondents in the U.K. book a similar amount of travel accommodations (65
percent), while France (38 percent) and Germany (39 percent) consumers report While U.S. respondents are more engaged in travel
fewer bookings. activities than their European counterparts, consumers
Mobile elites and Millennials are the most likely demographic to use mobile for aren’t as satisfied with the current state of their travel-
booking travel, which can be expected given how connected they are to their related mobile apps and websites.
mobile devices. Plus these groups tend to prefer using an app more than non-mobile
elites and older generations. Another trend that remains strong from last year’s Satisfaction rates are even lower among U.K., France and Germany respondents.
report is the number of consumers using their mobile devices for checking in. During Mobile elites are slightly more satisied than the general population, but this could
the active traveling phase, 71 percent of survey respondents used their mobile device be due to loyalty programs. Typically, once a consumer becomes a fan of a company,
to check their itineraries, 64 percent use mobile to check in to their lights and 49 they are more likely to adopt that company’s mobile apps. With additional loyalty
percent check in to a hotel with their smartphone or tablet. incentives for using apps, usage tends to increase. As members of the mobile elite
travel more and depend on their mobile devices more, this may account for the
slightly higher satisfaction rate.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 10

 Frequency of travel activities

ACTIVITIES ON MOBILE DEVICE PREFERENCE FOR MOBILE WEBSITE VS. APP

Use maps or directions

Check reviews

Check itinerary

Research travel destinations

Compare travel prices

between companies

Change itinerary

Key to access your hotel room

Book travel

Flight check-in

Check in to a hotel

Daily Weekly Monthly Every other month or < Never

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 11

Travel and hospitality: Opportunities
Many factors can afect a user’s mobile experience while traveling or researching he continuing challenge for travel and hospitality companies will be to keep
travel plans, with the occasional inconvenience being a common pitfall. While members of the mobile elite satisied and spending money. Globally, mobile elites
marketers have litle control over a user’s given bandwidth, form factor, or even the demand price guarantees while booking travel—but speedy search results are
weather, there are steps companies can take to minimize hiccups and create repeat universally just as crucial. By zeroing in on search functionality and optimizing it for
customers. Again, one such element is the simpliication of tasks. In fact, 65 percent mobile, marketers can improve customer experience and conversion. Every efort
of respondents ind it very important to their mobile app experience. For mobile counts, as the impact of mobile experience in travel and hospitality continues to
elites, simpliication is especially important, with 72 percent ranking it the most build. According to the 2015 Adobe Digital Index Travel Report, $1 of every $5 spent
important for mobile apps. To improve convenience, marketers should combine on travel this year will come from mobile devices—and 68 percent of travelers
designing a simpliied mobile experience and process improvements with the right anticipate spending more money on travel in 2015.
underlying technology.

In addition to simplifying tasks, personalized content is more important to the IMPORTANCE OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
THE TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY MOBILE EXPERIENCE
mobile elite than to the general population. Younger travelers desire personalization
as well, with 30 percent of Millennials and 34 percent of Gen X consumers rating
personalization as important to their mobile experience compared to only 9 percent APP
SAVE MONEY
of Boomers and 4 percent of those over 70. When you implement this into your
brand’s mobile experience, simpliication and personalization can create a level of
convenience that can satisfy some of your most hardcore travelers. In a Forrester WEBSITE

study, car service app Uber stores a customer’s payment information in exchange
for one-click car rentals and real-time tracking of their chosen vehicle. Using simple
APP
navigation and location-based services are proven tactics that can make it easy for SIMPLIFY TASKS
customers to ind what they want—and more likely to continue interacting with
your brand’s mobile channels.
WEBSITE

Despite the need for more simpliication and personalization, 81 percent of mobile
elites interact the most with travel-related activities, and they’re also most likely to
adopt and appreciate the latest technologies. he average person may not think PERSONALIZE
APP

EXPERIENCE
to use their mobile device to check in as a hotel key, but 77 percent of mobile elite
members are highly satisied with this feature. With companies like JetBlue now
WEBSITE
ofering integration of boarding passes with Apple Passbook, marketers must be
innovative in how they serve their most valuable customers.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 12

Media and entertainment: Trends
Similar to last year’s study, consumers in all regions spend the most of their media he Adobe Mobile Consumer survey found that just like mobile elites, Millennials
and entertainment-related time on social media, playing games and accessing and Gen Xers are more engaged with a wide variety of media and entertainment
local content such as news, movie show times and weather. About 71 percent of activities, especially in watching TV. For respondents who stream content from their
U.S. consumers report posting to their social networks at least weekly or more, mobile devices, 63 percent of Millennials are watching TV, compared to only 48
with mobile elites and Millennials clocking in the most time. For media and percent of Gen X participants, 27 percent of Boomers and 14 percent for respondents
entertainment marketers, monetizing social is an arduous task, and changing over age 70. his behavior is a clear sign of the overall media industry transitioning
consumer behavior makes social all the more complex. For example, it’s no longer from traditional cable services to Internet-powered over-the-top (OTT) content
brands pushing movie reviews, restaurant recommendations, or bestselling books. and direct-to-consumer services. As a whole, the industry is seeing more video
It’s consumers curating their own answers by gathering opinions from their social consumption than ever before—and it doesn’t show signs of slowing. According
communities. With more consumers asking their Facebook friends questions like to the Adobe Digital Index U.S. Digital Video 2014 Inaugural Report, mobile device
“Where should I eat?” or “Which movie should I see?” more pressure is placed on viewing will overtake desktop viewing by the end of 2016.
marketers to deliver experiences that customers will want to share.

Perhaps the most compelling trend that surfaced from the survey is the overall
Adobe Digital Index reports that “mobile devices
increase in watching TV on their mobile devices. In 2015, 38 percent of users watch
live sports compared to 9 percent last year, 44 percent watch TV versus 11 percent are becoming much more relevant in online video
in 2014, and 38 percent stream movies compared to 8 percent last year. Mobile consumption, with close to one-third of video starts
elites as a group are particularly interested in these activities as well, with 58 percent occurring on a mobile device.”
watching TV, 51 percent watching live sports and 48 percent streaming full-length
ilms. U.K. consumers also devote a sizable amount of time to watching, while only
half of France and Germany report watching TV from their mobile devices.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 13

 Frequency of media and entertainment activities

ACTIVITIES ON MOBILE DEVICE PREFERENCE FOR MOBILE WEBSITE VS. APP

Follow social media

Acess local information (i.e. movie or

show times, weather, maps, etc)

Play casual or social games more

than once per day

Use as a music player

Post to social media networks, comment

on articles, or post to blogs

Read news or blogs

Listen to streaming
music services
Get sports feeds or scores, read sports
stories, or manage fantasy leagues

Watch streaming television

programming

Download or read digital version of

newspapers or magazines

Watch live sports or

television programming
Purchase or play
console style games

Watch streaming full-length ilms

Daily Weekly Monthly Every other month or < Never

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 14

Media and entertainment: Opportunities
So what makes the increase in TV watching on mobile devices so fascinating for Premium content. By popular demand.
marketers? For media consumers, watching TV and video on their mobile devices
has become synonymous with the term “mobile experience.” Adobe Digital Index
reports that “mobile devices are becoming much more relevant in online video
consumption, with close to one-third of video starts occurring on a mobile device.”
While Internet-enabled devices like Apple TV and Roku have made watching OTT
content possible on televisions, today’s media consumers expect similar experiences
regardless of screen size. With OTT providers like Netlix and Hulu ofering mobile
Provided email address for Want to subscribe to premium
apps to consumers, OTT TV watching has become even more convenient for premium content (% yes) content supported by ads (% yes)
smartphone and tablet owners.

he industry has welcomed a new generation of digital-only viewers, also known elites report being satisied and 31 percent of Millennials are extremely satisied, only
as “cord-cuters” for cuting their cable service—or “cord-nevers” for never opting 20 percent of Gen Xers, 13 percent of Boomers and 9 percent of 70+ claim to be
for it in the irst place.15 As more consumers move away from traditional pay TV, satisied. Satisfaction is generally low in Europe, with Germany reporting the lowest
media and entertainment companies have an opportunity to convert these viewers satisfaction with mobile apps and web. With half of U.S. respondents reporting that
into subscribers by ofering ad-supported premium content. Sixty-three percent simplifying tasks is important to their mobile experience, marketers should take extra
of U.S. mobile consumers have already provided their email address in exchange care to ensure their mobile channels are fully optimized.
for receiving premium content that was supported by ads. Mobile elites in all four
When considering other elements that are important to overall experience,
countries are highly interested in accessing premium content, especially if the
Millennials and Gen Xers perceive personalized experiences to be just as important
content is provided with their Internet service. When asked if their ISP were to ofer
as simpliication, so features like recommendations based on viewing history and
premium content supported by ads, 71 percent of mobile elites in the U.S. said they
time of day will make the mobile experience more relevant and easier to use
would subscribe to the service using their mobile device, followed by 65 percent
for consumers. Given the younger generation’s bent toward video consumption
in the U.K., and 61 percent in both France and Germany. Today’s consumers value
and their favorable atitude toward premium content, marketers should focus on
premium content and don’t mind clicking through the occasional ad. In fact, it’s a
optimizing video on mobile apps and improving mobile web for consumers who
nominal trade of for the box oice hits and TV shows they would normally pay
have yet to become brand advocates. Investing in analytics to further deine and
hundreds for through pay TV.
segment audiences will also lead to beter customer experience. According to the
When engaging in media and entertainment-related activities, consumers across the Adobe Digital Marketing blog, “Brand loyalty, return viewing, beter monetization
board demonstrate a strong preference for apps over mobile web. Sixty-seven percent and deeper engagement are all by-products of having the right data at the right time
of U.S. respondents favor apps for watching streaming television programming and to support marketing decisions.”
full-length ilms. However, the general population is less satisied with apps and
mobile web compared to members of the mobile elite. While 65 percent of mobile

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 15

Retail: Trends
For retail-related activities, consumers in each region spent the majority of their RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF VARIOUS ELEMENTS
TO THE OVERALL MOBILE RETAIL EXPERIENCE
time reviewing online promotions, using keyword searches and researching
product and price information. his is especially true for mobile elites, Millennials
and Gen X consumers, who rely more heavily on reviews than those who are not DIGITAL COUPONS
OR OFFERS
members of the mobile elite and the older generations. When given the choice
between accessing content via mobile web or an app for retail, at least two thirds
of consumers in the U.S., U.K., France and Germany prefer the mobile web for
researching and comparing products and pricing.
PRICE CHECKING
he mobile elite spends considerably more time on the same activities. hey prefer
using apps for receiving coupons, but prefer mobile web for performing product
searches. About one third of U.S. smartphone users research purchases at least
once a week. When shoppers are ready to purchase a product, 57 percent of U.S.
consumers prefer using apps, while 43 percent will still prefer the mobile web. EARN LOYALTY
POINTS REWARDS
Between using their phone for personal inance, travel, media and retail, Millennials
placed the most importance on using their phones for making purchases. With one
third of U.S. smartphone users researching purchases on their devices at least once a
week, marketers should take note and ensure their mobile channels are capable of
converting researchers into purchasers. PERSONALIZED
CONTENT

However, overall satisfaction on mobile app and mobile browser experiences is just
under 50 percent. To beter gauge where consumers place the bar for experience,
we asked survey respondents to rate how important several elements are to their
overall mobile app and website experiences, such as digital coupons, price checking, ACHIEVE GOALS IN
A FEW STEPS
convenience, achieving goals in a few steps and personalized content. he majority
of consumers, including 71 percent of U.S. mobile elites, rate convenience as the
most important element to their mobile app experience, with Germany as the
exception. As most consumers are generally concerned with receiving the best deal,
it’s no surprise that they also rate price checking and receiving digital coupons as CONVENIENCE
important. Interestingly, personalized content rates the least important to shoppers
in all four countries.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 16

 Frequency of retail activities

ACTIVITIES ON MOBILE DEVICE PREFERENCE FOR MOBILE WEBSITE VS. APP

Receiving online promotions,

specials, or coupons

Using keyword search for products

Browsing for products using

sorting or iltering options to
narrow search

Researching speciic product and

price information

Reading customer information

with friends

Sharing product information

with friends

Checking order status

Registering online for ofers and

promotions using your mobile device

Comparing product and price by

diferent retailers

Purchasing a product
using your mobile device

Checking in-store
features

Viewing visual information

Daily Weekly Monthly Every other month or < Never

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 17

Retail: Opportunities
As more consumers make purchases from their mobile devices, the need to For most consumers, privacy is an issue unless they can perceive some sort of quid
understand and respond to consumer behavior becomes all the more important pro quo deal. he “I’ll sign up with my private information in exchange for rewards”
for retailers. With consumers placing higher priority on convenience than the ability mentality is rather common, so it’s up to brands to clearly communicate the beneits
to price check or receive promotions, retailers need to focus on making a seamless of a personalized app or mobile web experience. For example, personalization can
shopping experience that quickly connects the buyer to what they want. Highly be as simple as receiving coupons on a customer’s birthday—saving them money—
detailed product pages and multiple layers of navigation may seem important to or having an app that can tell what a customer wants to price check, ultimately
companies, but these practices only serve to frustrate today’s consumers who expect saving them both time and money. Customers value their privacy, but given an ofer
lightning-fast results. In a Forrester study, online retailer Fab atributes one third of that’s irresistible enough, they will equate personalization with beter deals and an
their sales to having fewer elements that can distract consumers from buying. overall beter experience.

While personalized content rated the least important to consumers, personalization A unique relationship exists with mobile, digital and physical channels in retail.
is a common pathway to obtaining the level of convenience many shoppers desire. For example, 58 percent of mobile elites report checking in-store features on their
For example, product recommendations or coupons based on purchase history, mobile device. Whether consumers intend to make a purchase in the physical
interests or even location can increase the convenience factor for consumers. In a store or through their mobile device, it’s important that brands give shoppers the
market driven by price wars, creating a unique experience through personalization information they’re looking for wherever they are. With so many of today’s younger
is a key factor in diferentiating your brand from all of the rest. Doing so requires generations being mobile-irst, your brand’s mobile experience is oten the irst
an intimate look into your customer’s needs and behavior, which can be obtained impression new buyers receive. Retailers may have more lexibility in cross-selling
through analytics and user surveys. But as the data above suggests, consumers than those in industries like inancial services, but with any mobile app or website
desire all the perks of a convenient mobile shopping experience and a guarantee endeavor, it’s crucial to optimize experiences at every touchpoint.
from marketers that there is clear value in ofering up their personal information.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 18

Shoppable media Shoppable media: the next frontier.
It’s a whole new way to make mobile shopping easier. It allows shoppers to simply
tap product in a lifestyle image or video to reveal product details : alternate views,
color, size, price and so on and then make a purchase right from the image, without With 65 percent of survey respondents making purchases from their
mobile devices, retailers can’t aford anything less than a perfectly
scrolling or moving to another page.
streamlined experience. While most retail sites are transactional, an
emergence of quick-look galleries ofers buyers a more relevant and
engaging shopping experience, such as J Crew’s “Shop this look” feature. By
selecting an outit in quick-view, buyers can then add various pieces from
the outit to their cart without needing to search for additional products.

To test how satisied tablet owners are with more dynamic approaches
versus static ones, Adobe performed a separate survey with consumers who
made tablet purchases in the last 12 months. Respondents shopped either a
transactional site or a similar version built with Adobe Experience Manager
using “shoppable hotspots.” he site built with shoppable hotspots included
an “Add to cart” element right from the product image so consumers could
bypass having to search among multiple product detail pages to ind the
“look” they wanted.

Respondents reported higher satisfaction with the mobile site enabled with
shoppable hotspots and found it much easier to navigate than the static
one. With consumers more likely to convert if quick view is enabled, the
implications for shoppable hotspots and conversion are highly favorable.
Some retailers who have deployed shoppable hotspots have reported a
100 percent increase in conversion rate versus traditional static sites. With
consumers showing a deinite preference for shoppable hotspots, it’s
possible that this emerging technology could have mainstream appeal in
tomorrow’s mobile shopping market.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 19

GROWING TRUST in
mobile wallet and multi-channel shopping.
EMERGING
technologies make interacting fun.

Mobile wallet use is picking up speed, with at least 83 percent of U.S. and U.K. From magazine ads to the botom of plastic grocery containers, QR codes pop up in
consumers inding it easier to use than traditional credit cards. Seventy-two percent the most intriguing places—and the experience they provide is vastly improving. his
of consumers in Germany and 69 percent in France also ind mobile wallets year, 84 percent reported that the codes provided them with a mobile-optimized
easier, which is promising for retailers worldwide. In the past 6 months, consumers experience to view additional information, compared to 76 percent last year. Over
purchased a variety of goods and services using mobile wallets, with clothing and one-third of consumers worldwide report using QR codes within the last 6 months,
apparel, food and beauty items topping the list. As consumers grow more conident with consumers in France and Germany showing higher usage than the other regions.
using mobile wallets, marketers need to ensure their mobile app and websites are
While Facebook remains the top location service that users like to check in with,
optimized to get in on this trend. While consumers feel more comfortable paying
consumers are inding more reasons to check in with brands. his year, 46 percent
with their mobile wallet, it’s important to remember that customers may veer of
of respondents report receiving incentives like coupons or points for checking in
the mobile path as they make their journey to conversion. With 16 percent of survey
compared to 29 percent from last year. Barcode reading apps continue to delight
respondents accessing a retailer’s physical location to help them make a purchase
consumers, with price checking (56 percent) and looking for coupons (40 percent)
from their mobile device, it’s imperative that marketers make sure the digital and
being the top reasons for using the technology service. German consumers are the
physical worlds complement one another.
most likely to use barcodes for checking product features while in France, consumers
Millennials and Gen X shoppers are more likely to have purchased items on a sent the most SMS/text messages to brands in return for discounts.
company’s website while being physically located in the brick and mortar store. With
Augmented reality apps are still picking up steam, with 59 percent of consumers
consumers using their mobile device to make in-store purchases, the digital and
using this technology to ind a company or product and 57 percent using augmented
physical worlds have never been more intermingled. his interplay between brick-
reality to play games.
and-mortar stores and mobile devices adds to the complex and oten unpredictable
pathways that lead to conversion. his is why marketers shouldn’t focus too Wearables continue to be popular among mobile elites and the younger generations,
inherently on transactions, or even personalization as a means to an end. Ultimately, with one- third of U.S. respondents having used their wearable device to research a
it’s the ability to provide consistent experiences along the customer journey that will purchase decision. Members of the mobile elite are twice as likely to research goods
keep customers loyal and win new converts. with their device compared to the general population, with Millennials and Gen Xers
also using wearable devices to research goods and services. Consumers in general
are behind mobile elites on the adoption curve, with 41 percent of U.S. respondents
having no plans to ever research information on their wearable device. For now,
consumers place the most value on using wearables for itness tracking, medical
purposes and timekeeping.

October 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 20

Create mobile moments that are easy to enjoy—
and your customers
WILL FOLLOW.
his year’s Adobe Mobile Consumer Survey reveals that across the board As consumers evolve, so must the tactics that companies use to woo customers and
simpliication is most important to consumers’ mobile experience on both apps and keep them satisied. To simplify mobile user’s experiences, personalization is one
mobile web. But simplifying the mobile experience is complex at best—and even tactic that marketers can use to serve customers the content they want in a more
harder to optimize when boundless variations exist between geographical regions, meaningful, personal way. he ability to use mobile data to personalize experiences
industries and age groups. Creating ive-star mobile experiences that capitalize on is key, but only 27 percent of marketers surveyed by Forrester have holistic customer
ease of use and personalization require an intricate understanding of consumer proiles. Too few businesses have the tools, infrastructure and processes to deliver
behavior, especially with mobile elites. in mobile moments. And with the average consumer using only 12 mobile apps a
month, it’s imperative that companies invest in the right technology, people and
To pinpoint where the market is headed, organizations will need to keep a pulse on
processes to remain relevant authors of the best mobile experiences.
the mobile elites and identify where they’re spending the most time and money.
his highly connected and active segment continues to show higher usage and When optimized accordingly, mobile web and apps fulill unique needs for
greater adoption of new technologies and tactics. Designing experiences around consumers—and create an ongoing relationship between a brand and customer.
these valuable customers—and making it easier for them to get the information they “Your website has to be optimized for mobile, but the app allows you to engage with
want, when they want it—will only improve mobile experiences for everyone else. your customer in ways that the mobile web experience can’t,” says Anne Lewnes,
senior vice president and CMO at Adobe. “Once you’ve goten people to download
With similar buying behavior to members of the mobile elite, Millennials are
an app that they’re satisied with and using regularly, you’ve won.”
another key group for marketers to zero in on. Like mobile elites, Millennials spend
a considerable amount of time on mobile and value personalized experiences more
than the general population. But perhaps the most interesting inding of this study
is how similar the Gen X segment behaved to Millennials. Given the complexity
of generational diferences and overlapping behavior, marketers will need
segmentation, analytics and personalization to drive a deeper level of satisfaction
and success with mobile.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 21

 1 Treat mobile like it’s more than a channel. Mobile isn’t just about
creating experiences for smaller screen sizes. Given that some consumers will

4 STRATEGIES continue to shop at brick-and-mortar stores while others would be perfectly happy
with a mobile-only institution, it’s important that your mobile strategy complements
for the mobile-relevant marketer. the entire customer journey. Picture mobile as a way to improve customer
experience overall, and your company is more likely to improve overall conversion.

With mobile ownership and customer expectations steadily rising, it’s 2 Design mobile experiences with ease of use in mind. With
time to be mobile-relevant—or become mobile-extinct. From analytics limited screen space and the occasional interruptions consumers experience while
to optimization and personalization, you can be mobile-minded and engaging in their mobile devices, marketers need to cut to the chase and make
ready to deliver the rich mobile experiences that consumers want, when content easily accessible. Consider emerging technologies that eliminate the need for
they want them. Here are four strategies for re-imagining your business customers to search back and forth, such as “shoppable hotspots” that quickly give
with mobile and keeping your most valuable customers satisied. mobile users the content they want in one click.

3 Use metrics to measure mobile app and web success. To

measure mobile success, you must manage it irst. When developing and managing
apps, mobile teams must understand how oten consumers download and launch
their app, what paths they take and if their interactions drive monetization. To get
the most out of your mobile channels, consider using metrics for user acquisition,
engagement, conversion and retention to help you measure ROI.

4 Target and personalize by audience segment. Your brand is the

common denominator between your customers—beyond that, each customer is
uniquely diferent and expects a unique experience based on their level of engagement
and interests. To keep them captivated, consider using A/B testing, optimization and
location-based targeting to create relevant, personalized experiences wherever they go.

To learn more about how you can deliver amazing customer experiences on mobile
devices, visit www.adobe.com/creativecloud/business/teams.html.

October 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 22

Methodology
From June 11–July 7, 2015, Adobe surveyed over 4,000 people in the United States 1 “he State of Mobile App Development.” Forrester Research, Inc. March 23, 2015.
2 “he Best and Worst of Mobile User Experience.” Forrester Research, Inc., April 4, 2014.
(1,025), United Kingdom (1,006), France (1062) and Germany (1,076) to determine
3 “he Uniied Customer Experience Imperative.” Adobe. 2015.
how satisied they are with their mobile experiences, where they spend the
4 Jefry Bartash. “A changing America: U.S. more diverse than ever, millennials exceed boomers.” MarketWatch. June 25, 2015.
majority of their time and how they react to emerging tactics for mobile marketing. htp://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-changing-america-us-more-diverse-than-ever-Millennials-exceed-boomers-2015-06-25.
Accessed September 10, 2015.
he survey asks about their experiences across the inancial services, travel and 5 Micah Solomon. “he Millennial Customer Has $200 Billion To Spend (But Wants A New Style Of Customer Service).” Forbes.
January 20, 2015. htp://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2015/01/21/the-millennial-customer-has-arrived-has-200-billion-
hospitality, media and entertainment, and retail industries. To extract the most to-spend-and-wants-a-new-style-of-customer-service/ Accessed on August 3, 2015.

accurate behavior among consumers and market segments, the qualiications for 6 Adobe Digital Index. “Mobile Benchmark Report, 2015.” CMO.com. August 27, 2015. htps://www.cmo.com/content/dam/CMO_
Other/ADI/2015_Mobile_Benchmark/ADI_mobile_benchmark_report_2015.pdf. Accessed on August 27, 2015.
market participation changed this year. To qualify within a market segment in this 7 Ibid.

year’s report, respondents prioritized over the past few months what their most 8 “he Best and Worst of Mobile User Experience.”
9 “Personalization and the Rise of Individualized Experiences.” Forrester Research, Inc. December 9, 2014.
important activities were. Respondents were then placed in the segment they spend
10 Ibid.
the most time in. Compared to last year, to qualify for a particular market segment,
11 “Closing the Gap: Why It’s Time For Retailers to Rethink Personalization.” Adobe. November 2014.
participants had to have reported an activity in that segment within the past 6 12 “Adobe Digital Index: Mobile Benchmark Report, 2015.”
months. 13 “2015 US Mobile Banking Functionality Benchmark.” Forrester Research, Inc. May 26, 2015.
14 “Follow Best Practices to Encourage Mobile Banking Use.” Forrester Research, Inc.. November 24, 2014.
Participants’ gender was closely split in the U.S., with 49 percent male and 51
15 Ibid.
percent female. his year’s study reports on U.S. indings, with full data and charts 16 Mohammad Gaber. “he Path to Travel mobile success starts with a focus on convenience.” LinkedIn Pulse. May 28, 2015 htps://
www.linkedin.com/pulse/delivering-convenience-through-customer-centric-mobility-gaber?trk=prof-post. Accessed September 10,
for responses from UK, France and Germany respondents in a separate all indings 2015.

document. 17 “he Best and Worst of Mobile User Experience.”

18 Mickael Bentz. “5 Top Mobile Marketing Tips from Travel and Hospitality Industry Leaders.” Adobe Digital Marketing Blog.
Another key diference to note in this year’s report versus last year’s is age. For March 2, 2015. htp://blogs.adobe.com/digitalmarketing/campaign-management/5-top-mobile-marketing-tips-travel-
hospitality-industry-leaders/. Accessed September 10, 2015.
2015, Adobe chose to glean more speciic insights into age diferences by grouping 19 Adobe Digital Index. “Summer Travel Report, May 2015.” CMO.com. May 20, 2015. htp://www.slideshare.net/adobe/2015-
adobe-digital-index-summer-travel-report/1. Accessed on August 3, 2015.
respondents into generations. When asked which demographic best it their age, 44
20 Adobe Digital Index. “US Digital Video 2014 Inaugural Report, 2014.” CMO.com. htp://www.cmo.com/content/dam/CMO_
percent of respondents identify as Millennials, 29 percent as Gen Xers, 20 percent as Other/ADI/Inaugural-Video-Benchmark-Report/Digital-Video-Benchmark-2014-Inaugural-Yearly-RPT.pdf. Accessed on August
10, 2015.
Boomers and 7 percent as those aged 70+. 21 Ibid.
22 Jennifer Cooper. “Cord Cuters and Cord Nevers Redeine Audience Make Up.” Adobe Digital Marketing Blog. July 31, 2015.
To be considered part of the mobile elite segment, participants have to meet any of htp://blogs.adobe.com/digitalmarketing/advertising/cord-cuters-and-cord-nevers-redeine-audience-make-up/. Accessed
September 10, 2015.
the following criteria: 23 “A Marketer’s Guide to the Mobile Mind Shit.” Forrester Research, Inc. December 29, 2014.
24 “he Best and Worst of Mobile User Experience.”
• Spend 10 or more hours per month on a media and entertainment-related website.
25 “Mobile’s Untapped Value is Contextual Data.” Forrester Research, Inc.. October 27, 2014.
• Spend 5 or more hours per month on a travel-related website. 26 “Win Your Oline Mobile Moments.” Forrester Research, Inc. December 29, 2014.
27 “he Best and Worst of Mobile User Experience.”
• Spend 5 or more hours per month on a inance-related website. 28 Ann Lewnes. “At Adobe, the App is the Ad.” eMarketer. August 14, 2015. htp://www.emarketer.com/Article/Adobe-lsquoApp-
Adrsquo/1012822. Accessed on September 10, 2015.
• Spend $500 (USD) or more on product purchases via mobile device in the past 6 months.

October 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 23

Adobe has been helping the world’s best brands build meaningful customer
experiences for more than 30 years. Adobe delivers the most comprehensive and
integrated digital marketing and digital media solutions available, including Creative
Cloud for business and Adobe Marketing Cloud. hese solutions enable teams and
enterprises to create amazing content, deploy it across media and devices, measure
and optimize it over time and achieve greater business success. With Adobe’s tools
and services, you can reach your customers anywhere, on any device, and deliver
personalized, engaging experiences that create lasting connections.

© 2015 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Adobe and the Adobe logo are either registered trademarks
or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United
States and/or other countries.

November 2015 | Mastering the complexity of mobile with simplicity. 24