According to Pew Research's latest findings, more than half of all adult cell phone owners in America now browse the internet or access email via their phones. 

Since almost 90% of all Americans now own a cell phone, this works out to 49% of all adult Americans going online using their phones, with 74% saying they go online at least once on a typical day.

This is tremendous growth – in 2009 only 31% of cell owners browsed the internet on their phones.

“In the space of three years, we’ve seen the proportion of cell owners who do this almost double,” said Pew senior research specialist Aaron Smith. “Within the space of five years we’ve gone from basically zero to half the country, with a sizable percentage using cell phones as their main source [to go online].”

Much of this is due to the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, which touched off the smartphone explosion and delivered on the promise of high-quality mobile web browsing.

Dominant Demographics

The study found that mobile internet was used by:

• 75% of those aged 18 - 24
• 68% of those aged 35 - 44
• 16% of those aged 65+

The study also found that 69% of households over $75,000 used mobile internet.

This is particularly important because it is predicted that by 2016, smartphones will influence $689 billion of retail sales in the U.S. alone.

How did that happen?

If you have ever pulled out your phone in a store to check if prices are lower online, your potential purchase is part of the the 5.1% or $159 billion of all retail store sales in America already affected by smartphones.

According to consulting firm Deloitte, smartphone shoppers are 14% more likely to make a purchase in-store than non-smartphone users, making mobile an important strategy to drive in-store sales.

According to Deloitte's Kasey Lobaugh, "retailers that do not engage shoppers through specialized mobile applications or targeted smartphone-based promotions leave the door open for competitors to reach a customer who is standing in the retailer’s store and at the point of purchase. To make the connection with consumers, retailers need to understand how mobile shoppers are willing to interact with their specific store category, format and merchandise, both inside and outside the store, and customize their mobile strategy around the shopper’s needs and experience."

Translation: a mobile strategy is essential for retailers to succeed today.

In summary, a great mobile website drives new direct sales and in-store sales. In defence, a great mobile website converts in-store shoppers into in-store buyers for you and not your competitor.

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