Google just released a serious bit of research about mobile browsing. What else is new, right? Except this hunk-a-burin’ insight is strictly focused on mobile-meets-retail shopping habits, and their findings have the power to deliver legitimate value for your mobile ad strategy.

The key takeaway? A vast majority of smartphone users use their phones to help them shop in brick-and-mortar retail stores. If you’re nodding your head along in agreement, that means you’re undoubtedly among the 79% of smartphone owners who see their phone as a vital component of even in-store purchases.

It also means you probably spend more on a shopping trip than your less-mobile-friendly aunt and uncle, for example. Google uncovered something of a holy grail statistic for both online marketers and the ever-struggling physical retailers out there: “Smartphone shoppers,” as Google has dubbed them, spend anywhere from 25-50% more on their shopping trips than infrequent smartphone users.

What’s it all mean for the paid search marketer? A lot, actually. The full report is chock full of statistics like these:

  • 82% of Smartphone Shoppers use a search engine as their primary tool to research their purchases.
  • Smartphone Shoppers spend an average of 15 minutes on their phone while they’re in the store.
  • 53% use their phone to make price comparisons, more than any other activity, but looking for promotional deals was not far behind at 39%.

Here’s a quaint little infographic with some of the high-level takeaways, but make sure you check out the full report too:

Google Mobile Shopping