Consumers are using mobile devices more and more to help command the points of purchase while shopping online or in-store. During the most recent holiday shopping season, 41% of consumers made purchases directly on their smartphones, 46% noted that they picked out their item on their smartphone, and completed the purchase in-store, and 37% said they researched their item on their phone, and bought it online. Shoppers have come to expect a more integrating retail experience, with physical and online storefronts merged.

A new Neilsen study delves deeper into how consumers are using their smartphones while shopping, relative to certain types of stores:

First off, it would appear that very few smartphone users access product reviews online while shopping in dollar (3%) and convenience stores (7%), though 73% will look up an item when browsing in an electronics store. While only 14% of shoppers look up products during a grocery store visit, 41% access online coupons. Online coupons are also popular in department and clothing stores, at 41 and 39% respectively. When it comes to scanning QR codes for product details, 57% of electronics stores note this shopping activity. QR codes are also popular in department stores (36%) and mass merchandisers (31%). Not many consumers use their mobile devices to enhance their convenience store shopping experience, with only 7% looking up product reviews.