Honeywell Survey Finds Increasing Interest Among Consumers For Mobility In Retail

To Keep up with Consumer Demand, Retailers Should Invest in Mobile Technologies, such as Mobile Point-of-Sale and Mobile Couponing

Mobile point-of-sale (POS) is still a relatively new technology in retail check-out, yet the results of the recent "Mobile POS Survey," commissioned by Honeywell and conducted by Harris Interactive online in December 2010, indicate that consumer acceptance and use of mobile POS is a rising trend.

Based on the survey, a majority of adults (72 percent) have been offered the opportunity to check out using mobile POS. Of the 13 percent of early adopters that have actually checked out using a mobile POS solution, half agree that using mobile POS saves time and 43 percent say that paperless receipts sent via email are a good idea. Additionally, the survey found that nearly one in five adults (17 percent) uses credit cards for in-store purchases and would be interested in trying mobile POS.

The latest advancements in mobile POS and bar code scanning technology make it possible for consumers to complete in-store transactions without having to go through the traditional checkout line. Transactions completed through mobile POS are done on the spot, using a mobile computer to quickly scan items and then read a customer's credit card information for payment, with the receipt printed via a mobile printer or sent directly to the consumer's email address. Mobile POS advancements not only increase convenience and save time for customers, but also provide retailers with the opportunity to differentiate and engage with customers in a new way, while reducing costs and waste attributed with standard paper receipts.

"Over the past two years, Honeywell Scanning & Mobility has surveyed consumers to get their feedback on the latest trends in retail technology," said John Waldron, vice president of worldwide marketing, Honeywell Scanning & Mobility. "This year's survey results show a rising interest in mobile POS, and this is in line with the demand we are seeing in the industry. Honeywell is dedicated to supporting retailers in their implementation of innovative applications—such as mobile POS—by providing advanced scanners and mobile computers that help drive improved productivity and customer service."

The survey results also show that mobile POS use varies by income level and employment status. Adults with an annual household income of $75,000 or more are more likely than those with an annual household income of less than $35,000 to say they have completed a check-out transaction using a mobile POS solution (17 percent versus nine percent respectively). Furthermore, those that are employed full-time are more likely to have tried mobile POS compared to those that are unemployed (16 percent versus nine percent respectively), a finding all retailers should consider as they target customers with more spending capacity.

Increased interest in mobile couponing, another trend in the retail space, was uncovered in this year's survey, in comparison to the results found in a similar survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Honeywell in December 2009:

• The number of adults who own a mobile phone and say they are comfortable using their mobile phones to store coupons rather than printing them out nearly doubled from 11 percent in 2009 to 18 percent in 2010.
• Similarly, the number of adults who own a mobile phone and say they are interested in receiving coupons from retailers via their mobile phones increased from eight percent to 14 percent in 2010.

"The increased interest in mobile couponing, and mobile applications in general, show that progressive retailers must invest in these technologies to appeal to their tech-savvy customers," said Waldron.

Survey Methodology
The 2010 survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Honeywell Scanning & Mobility from December 16-20, 2010 among 2,309 adults ages 18 and older. The 2009 survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Honeywell Scanning & Mobility from December 15-17, 2009 among 2,257 adults ages 18 and older. These online surveys are not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Ebony Freeman at ebony.freeman@honeywell.com.

About Honeywell International
Honeywell International is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. For more information, visit www.honeywellnow.com.

SOURCE: Honeywell International