‘app-y shopper
Around 20 percent of smartphone owners now do some form of shopping using apps on their handset, according to new research by The BIO Agency.
Apparently app-using shoppers splash out an average of £30 a month on products from cinema and train tickets to clothes and groceries, The Associated Press reported.
The agency, which polled 3,000 people in March to come up with its findings, reportedly estimates that approximately £581m a year is being spent via apps by consumers in the UK and the main reason is convenience.
The BIO Agency's MD, peter Veash told The AP: "It's about convenience and simplicity when purchasing. You might not be at the shop or have access to a computer but you do have your phone with you. You can also compare prices easily. You can be in shop A and instantly check the price in shop B."
In related smartphone shopping news, Ubergizmo has reported that Samsung is fixing the terms of a partnership with VISA to deliver an NFC payment system in time for the London Olympics next year.
The companies will apparently work together to roll out an Olympics-branded handset equipped with NFC tech and preloaded with a special SIM plus VISA's payment app.
It is believed the handset will allow users to make payments by opening the VISA app and holding the handset in front of a contactless reader of which there will apparently be 60,000 in action in London, as VISA is busy increasing its NFC base in shops and banks.
There are no more details about the handset as yet but it will reportedly be available first to Samsung and VISA-sponsored athletes competing in the games as well as a bunch of network operators so less speedy consumers can join in too.
