Molecular Survey: Consumers Are Ready for Mobile Web Surfing; Web Sites Are Not

WebKnowHow
Tuesday, November 28, 2006; 07:08 AM

Molecular, Inc., a leading Internet consulting firm, today announced results of a spot survey that shows consumers are ready for mobile Web surfing and transacting, but Web sites are not. The national survey of 1,000 adult consumers over 18 years of age, administered by Kelton Research, shows that usability and security are the final hurdles for marketers and Web site designers before consumers will shift significant time and dollars to the mobile Web.

The Molecular research survey shows the following:

• Americans are ready for mobile surfing, but web sites aren’t – one out of four American adults (26 percent) say they would use their mobile phone or handheld device to access the Web if mobile web pages were easier to navigate. For Americans between the ages of 18 and 44, the likelihood they would use their mobile phone or handheld device to access the Web is even higher: 32 percent or one out of three.
• Americans are ready to do financial transactions over the mobile Web, but brands don’t make it easy – More than one in four Americans with a mobile phone (28 percent) say that they’d like to use their phone or handheld device for purchases and financial transactions, but the companies with whom they do business make it difficult to do so via these devices.
• The PC still feels safer – 58 percent of Americans disagree that data sent over a mobile phone or handheld device is as safe as data sent from their personal computer.

The Molecular survey is consistent with findings of recent research published separately by Yahoo! and Isobar, Molecular’s parent company, entitled, "Fluid Lives." The Fluid Lives research - http://www.fluid-lives.com/ - also reveals considerable consumer frustration with the wireless user experience.

“As a consultancy focused on designing effective and engaging interactive experiences, we don’t find these results surprising, but we do see them as a wake-up call for marketers and Web designers,” said Darryl T. Gehly, executive vice president at Molecular. “The research indicates that consumers are ready for the mobile Web and marketers would be wise to focus on designing mobile Web pages that are easy to use and engaging. With consumers ready to engage, marketers will benefit if they take action now. If done right, ‘Mobile Monday’ next year may steal some thunder from ‘Cyber Monday’ as the holiday shopping season kicks off.”

Molecular commissioned Kelton Research to conduct the mobile Web spot survey. Kelton Research conducted the survey between November 2nd and November 8th, 2006, targeting 1,000 adults over the age of 18. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Molecular, an Internet consulting firm, designs and builds digital solutions to help companies increase revenues and decrease operating costs. Since 1994, Molecular has directed successful Web initiatives for the nation's top companies, including Finish Line, Inc., Fidelity Investments, MFS Investment Management, Hewlett-Packard and Talbots. Headquartered in Boston, Molecular also has offices in New York and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.molecular.com.