It is estimated that by the end of 2016, 70.5% of the Saudi Arabian population will own a smartphone, equating to nearly 20 million people in total. Mobile has not only changed the way consumers behave both online and offline; but it has changed how brands connect with consumers, and in an increasingly fragmented media environment has thrown up a whole host of new and exciting planning implications.
These planning implications have been explored by On Device Research through its newly launched mobile path-to-purchase tracker: a quarterly survey of 500 Saudi Arabian smartphone users which aims to unpick how mobile fits in to the non-linear purchase funnel, while providing actionable recommendations for marketers and brands wanting to take advantage of the myriad opportunities afforded by mobile marketing.
The first wave of research has revealed that in Saudi Arabia mobile plays a crucial, even dominant role at all stages of the path to purchase: from brand awareness, to product research and discovery to consideration and purchase fulfilment. Key findings include:
- Mobile is now a true mass media: 91% of smartphone owners use the mobile internet on a weekly basis: more than any other form of media, including TV. With over two thirds of smartphone users online for over two hours a day, mobile offers marketers the reach and frequency of exposure required to build brand awareness. 
- Smartphones are now the primary product research tool: 27% of smartphone users research products or services to buy on their mobile phone, even surpassing product advice from friends and family at 26%. Furthermore, with a quarter of consumers now being prompted to conduct mobile research by TV ads, the benefits of a unified cross channel marketing strategy should not be underestimated.
- Consumers are not shy when it comes to m-commerce: 77% have purchased a product or service on their smartphone in the past three months, highlighting the benefits of a fully optimised m-commerce experience for the Saudi Arabian shopper. Convenience and time saving are key considerations in a world where the process of show rooming – researching products in store and buying online – is fast becoming a norm.
Discover more insights about the Saudi Arabian smartphone user and the mobile path-to-purchase.
