[Techtaffy Newsdesk]

More than a third of mobile product owners are using their devices for mobile commerce, according to a new study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The ‘Mobile Commerce – Reinventing the Way Consumers Shop’ study also finds that, on average, each consumer plans to spend $575 on mobile purchases in the next 12 months.

Nine out of ten U.S. consumers own a tablet, smartphone or a cell phone, translating into 216 million mobile device owners. More than one-third (37 percent) of mobile device owners are engaging in some form of mobile commerce – either shopping and/or purchasing online or in-store; using and/or redeeming coupons or gift cards; or searching for coupons.

While most online purchases are done without mobile devices, those engaging in mobile commerce average more than one-third (35 percent) of all online transactions. The categories most often browsed/shopped for on mobile devices are consumer electronics (CE) and clothing/footwear, while music and books are the categories most often purchased. One-third (32 percent) of consumers engaging in mobile online purchasing have bought CE online using their device.

Jessica Boothe (Manager, Strategic Research, CEA): With the growth of mobile devices, mobile commerce will play a more integral role in the everyday shopping habits of consumers, especially as they continue to seek bargains and comparison shop.

Many mobile device owners intend to make more purchases using their device in the next 12 months, including shopping and couponing. These consumers expect to spend, on average, $575 on mobile purchases over the next year. Mobile device owners also plan to increase couponing during that time period with one out of three expecting to use their mobile devices more to search for coupons online (32 percent), use/redeem mobile coupons (30 percent), and search for coupons in email (29 percent).

The study also found a number of reasons that consumers who have yet to make any purchase on their mobile device are hesitant to do so: half say they prefer to make purchases in other ways, and more than a third (35 percent) are concerned about security.

Twenty-seven percent of consumers are comfortable using the mobile Internet because they trust current authentication safeguards, and 25 percent feel comfortable because they trust that their information is safe and secure. Yet, some consumers also have concerns about authentication on their mobile devices. While 42 percent of mobile consumers agree that fingerprint is the best way to authenticate mobile purchases, another 24 percent are not sure as to the best method.