3 data points showing why mobile is the way to reach Hispanic consumers

In my last blog post I discussed some of the demographic trends that may be leading companies to pay more attention to the Hispanic market. I also picked out some interesting statistics from the Ad Age Hispanic Fact Pack, and committed to giving it another look to see if there was anything else mentioning. There is. We love using our phones before and while shopping, but not after.

For full disclosure, I’m not big on shopping, and often decide to make a purchase on impulse. When I do though, I usually use my phone to do some research, but doesn’t everyone? Apparently Hispanic consumers are much more likely to than most adults. The Ad Age report, which uses data from Simmons Research, breaks this down in more granular detail, but I pulled out three data points that should give you the gist:

1) Over 80% of Hispanic adults say they use their phone in some capacity before or while shopping. This compares to 55–60% of all adults.

We are almost twice as likely to look up reviews or prices on our phone before and while shopping than the general population. We do our research on the go!

2) In all 10 categories surveyed by Simmons Research, Hispanic Americans were more likely to use their phone than the general population before entering a store or while shopping in store.

These categories range from calling someone for advice, to looking up reviews, and using social media. Hispanic mobile use only reverts after purchase, where over 60% say they don’t use their phone at all in relation to their purchase (vs. ~50% of the general population).

3) Hispanics are 2–3x more likely to use social media or other online forums to comment on a purchase or write a review while shopping.

This just seems like a missed opportunity for retailers to gain from free advertising. Take into account that Hispanic adults are 2x as likely to call a friend/family member for advice while shopping as well.

These aren’t new takeaways though. I dug a little and found that in 2013 Experian Marketing Services found that Hispanic consumers: i) shop online at a higher rate; ii) are twice as likely to be interested in mobile ads; and iii) 30% more likely to buy products advertised on social media. No wonder companies have ramped up their digital advertising spending.