A new infographic released by Trustlook, following research conducted by the secure cybersecurity firm, suggests that mobile users feel more secure than ever about shopping via their smartphones going into the 2017 holiday shopping season. Unsurprisingly, the report also showed that those who feel more secure about shopping on their mobile devices will do so, as contrasted against those who do not feel secure on their smartphones. In fact, Trustlook suspects that a substantial increase in the number of available free-to-use security applications plays a pivotal role in establishing that sense of security among users.
However, the numbers go beyond that comparison point and show that in 2017, for the first time, mobile shopping will outpace holiday spending online through computers. That’s despite other reports which suggest there is actually an increased risk on mobile devices due to the number of mobile users as compared to lower number desktop users. Additionally, Trustlook says the increase in mobile shopping also comes down to improved network speeds overall and an increase in the number of well-made smartphone apps for shopping – likely because those things make shopping on a mobile device much more convenient. Breaking down the numbers reported by Trustlook, the data collected shows that as many 66-percent of the users it surveyed will be shopping on their mobile device for the holidays. Meanwhile, 45-percent of all users plan to spend more than $250 on those purchases. Among those who are shopping, 83-percent agreed that they felt secure on their mobile devices, while only 53-percent of those who don’t plan to shop via mobile agreed that they felt secure. With regard to what that money will be spent on, and with plenty of great new devices to choose from, home electronics appear to lead the polls, according to Trustlook.
It bears mention that Trustlook has not provided any specifics as to the sample size of those polled for this report, so the results are not necessarily typical and only represent current expectations. With that said, it shouldn’t be altogether surprising that those who are more confident in the security of their mobile devices are more likely to spend more money through their smartphone than those who don’t feel as confident about that. Meanwhile, in spite of the increased convenience and improved sense of security, the firm also suggests that malicious entities will likely be aware that mobile is the primary platform for shopping and will redirect their efforts there. Moreover, malware is on the rise – particularly through side-loaded applications – so that should go without saying that mobile users need to be as careful as ever about shopping online.
