Brits hunt bargains with mobile Web

In the wake of the credit crunch, consumers are using their mobile phones to seek cheaper prices and better value when out shopping on the high street.

A third of shoppers have been using mobile Internet to compare prices or look up product reviews and recommendations before committing to luxury purchases and personal items, according to a BT survey.

BT futurologist Ian Neild said in a statement: "Broadband on the move is bringing about a change in consumer behaviour. The days of the Internet being something for the home are over. For a growing number of savvy shoppers, the online and in-store worlds have merged."

The ease with which customers can go online to price-comparison sites to inform their buying decisions puts added pressure on high street retailers to offer the best prices and wider product ranges.

The research also delivered a word of warning to retailers who have yet to develop mobile versions of their Web sites. A fifth of all shoppers surveyed said the most important feature of mobile sites is that the site be specifically designed for the mobile Internet, while 39 per cent want easy navigation and a quarter want quick loading speeds.

Neild said: "People want fit-for-purpose content. Many businesses are in danger of being caught on the hop."

A fifth of consumers also think they now spend less time surfing the Internet at work because they can now do it on the move, which is good news for employers at least.