• by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, April 9, 2015

While the great majority of consumers prefer to shop in stores rather than online, most of them are doing it with a bit of a mobile-shopping assist.

In yet another study looking at in-store shopping behavior, the majority (75%) of consumers use their phones while shopping.

Almost all (90%) of those 18 to 35 years old use a phone, compared to 77% of those 36 to 49 years old and just over half (52%) of those 50 to 65 years old, according to a study by InReality.

The study comprised a survey of 461 consumers who were asked to share their shopping experiences over the previous six months. The survey was conducted in early December with the results being released today.

Of those who use their phones in a store, here’s what they do:

• 61% -- Compare prices
• 52% -- Maintain shopping lists
• 49% -- Take/share product photos
• 46% -- Find product information
• 45% -- Use coupons/discounts
• 43% -- Access social media
• 40% -- Use loyalty programs
• 37% -- Read reviews
• 33% -- Make a purchase
• 21% -- Locate products in the store
• 19% -- Complete surveys

The results of the survey again highlight the gap between what people want compared to what is being provided.

In the recent Digital Trends Report by Econsultancy for Adobe, a rather large study of 6,000 marketing, digital and ecommerce professionals, price was the very last item on the list of what marketers said would be the way they will differentiate themselves from competitors.

In that study, mobile was a top priority of only 7% of marketers, as I wrote about here last week (What Mobile Shoppers Want vs. What They’re Going to Get).

The InReality survey, though from a much smaller number of people surveyed, found price issues at the top of the list of what consumers use their phones for now.

The other issues near the top of the list all deal with day-to-day, practical things a shopper would do with a phone.

That’s where the mobile rubber hits the road.