A study of 38,000 people in 43 countries has found that 33 per cent of consumers around the globe admit to showrooming while out shopping. Of these, 21 per cent said they do it with phone in hand while 12 per cent do it without.

A total of 71 per cent of individuals in Asia said they’d gone in stores to match prices,TNS’s 2013 Mobile Life study found. 44 per cent have done it using their mobile. In markets where people’s first introduction to the net was via a handset, shoppers are highly prone to use their mobile when showrooming – 87 per cent within the Middle East and North Africa and 67 per cent in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“In developed markets, mobile presents a possibility to wreck established showrooming behaviours and make purchasing in retail more appealing,” said Matthew Froggatt, chief development officer at TNS. “However in emerging markets, where there’s a greater tendency to embrace disruptive behaviours, there’s an imminent threat of recent showrooming behaviour driven by mobile.”

The study reveals that 16-24-year olds are absolutely to make use of their phone to take advantage of their phone to showroom, 25 per cent, while 51-60-year-olds are traditionally to buy around offline to locate a bargain, at 19 per cent.

Shoppers are regularly to check prices while in store, 31 per cent, followed by 25 per cent who phone friends for advice and 23 per cent who take photographs.  Despite this, 36 per cent of individuals said they still choose to consult a sales assistant, rising to greater than half in Europe, while 34 per cent prefer using their handset.

The premiere opportunities for engaging with retailers were mobile coupons, with 38 per cent inquisitive about redeeming them, followed by scanning barcodes for additional information, chosen by 36 per cent and 34 per cent who wish to see social media with regards to the product.