In a survey conducted by Econsultancy in 2012, the majority of consumers were found to prefer using a mobile website over a mobile app, although other studies have found the opposite.

Do you prefer to use a mobile website or an app?

The other fact to consider is that consumers typically use multiple devices on their purchasing journeys. Therefore an app may not be appropriate where consumers switch frequently between devices.

The following graphic illustrates how journeys started on one device often end on another:

Apps that work well for considered purchases are typically those with a visually immersive experience. One example is DFS. 

Travel is another considered purchase. This represents a big spend for most people, and they will naturally spend time researching locations and hotels, as well as comparing prices between different providers.

indeed, 48% research travel purchases on mobile and 49% on tablets, compared with 55% on desktop.

While fewer will actually complete the purchase on mobile. Just 27% completed purchase on smartphone and 39% on tablets. Still a significant amount.

The report also shows that consumers aren’t afraid of making big travel purchases on mobile.

44% of respondents stated that they were willing to spend more than $500 on travel-related purchases using their smartphone or tablet. At the other end of the scale, only 13% of consumers said they wouldn’t make a travel purchase using their mobile device.

How much are you willing to spend on travel when making a purchase with your smartphone or tablet?

Before choosing to use an app for a sales and marketing channel, the key questions should be asked:

  • What devices do our target audience use? How do they behave on these devices?
  • How frequently will customers be interacting with our website or app? Is it worth spending money on multiple apps or should we just have a mobile site?
  • What tasks are they frequently trying to accomplish?
  • Do we have development resource in place to update the app continuously and make improvements as required?