Consumer Survey: More Consumers Shopping Smart by using Technology

IBM  just announced the results from a survey of more than 30,000 consumers.  The findings are interesting, and confirm what I’ve been saying here for sometime on this blog.  Consumers are still shopping , but they are shopping smarter by using technology to find deals.  That includes social media (Twitter, Facebook, Google, Blogs) and Mobile Technology (apps like Frugalytics.)  According to IBM’s press release, “while shoppers are optimistic about the future, they have developed attitudes during the global recession over the past several years that still dictate their behavior:  They buy what they need, search for items on sale and wait longer to purchase, and they have embraced the use of technology throughout every step of the process.” 
According to the study:

• Seventy percent are positive about their income situation.
• However, the shopping attitude is that frugality reigns.  Their top three shopping attitudes are to only buy what they need, search for items on sale and wait longer to purchase.
• Forty-nine percent of respondents were “instrumented consumers” – those who use two or more technologies, e.g. a website, mobile device or in-store kiosk to shop — a 36 percent increase since IBM’s last retail study a year ago.

So take heart smart shoppers, the savings are at your fingertips. When you use the web, coupons, blogs or social media to shop, you are shopping smart and saving.   All it takes to save is to do a little research before you hit the buy button.  Search for that sale, promo code or special event that well bring you saves.  Smart shopping is not an austerity program, it’s about living well while spending less.  With the power of the Internet and our Mobile phones, this is the best time to shop and save in history.  What is your favorite source of getting deals or savings?