Stores Useful for Demos, but Consumers Prefer Buying Phones Using Phones, Says Report
Consumer satisfaction in smartphone purchases is highest among customers who accessed an online sales channel via a smartphone, said a Thursday J.D. Power report. In-store customer service is still important for explaining data usage and demonstrating device operations, said the…
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report, but “speed and consistency of the experience delivered via mobile is clearly resonating with mobile customers.” Overall satisfaction among customers buying a wireless device via smartphone is 857 points, on a 1,000-point scale, vs. an 823 score among those shopping via computer or tablet, 842 who bought a smartphone in store and 836 who bought one with a telephone, it said. The wireless market is evolving into a “self-contained ecosystem in which all aspects of the ownership experience, from buying the device to engaging with customer support, is done entirely on a mobile device,” said analyst Peter Cunningham. Optimization for the smaller smartphone screen has led to higher purchase efficiency, with customers buying a new smartphone spending an average 10.6 minutes on the transaction using their existing smartphone, said the study, vs. an average 13.7 minutes for tablet or computer shoppers. Customers buying via smartphone also provide higher ratings for website attributes, such as ease of navigation, website appearance and ease of ordering, it said. Among providers, T-Mobile ranks highest in overall satisfaction among wireless full-service carriers with an 855 score, said J.D. Power, compared with 839 for AT&T, 833 for Verizon and 819 for Sprint. The report was based on studies fielded July-December of 13,344 customers who made a sales transaction with their current carrier within the previous three months.