The majority of consumers are drawn to advances in mobile technology that facilitate and enhance the ecommerce shopping experience, a new survey suggests.

 The Retail Consumer Sentiment Survey, by US-based customer relationship marketing firm Merkle found that 67% of respondents under the age of 50 are interested in mobile paths to purchase.

Furthermore, 46% of under-50s would like personalized offers sent to their smartphones while shopping in-store.

Brands such as clothing retailer American Eagle Outfitters have introduced such technologies, fitting outlets with beacon transmitter technology to alert consumers of deals via a mobile app as they pass through stores. The retailer’s app also contains a chat function to enable shoppers to ask questions about specific products or sales.

Paul Schottmiller, Senior Vice President of Strategy, Retail and Consumer Goods for Merkle, commented, “We have reached the point where delivering personalization does not just refer to content, but will also need to reflect time and location. Consumers expectations are high and retailers have never had more options for using technology to deliver differentiated customer experiences.”

The survey found that consumers who participate in real-time discounts can generate up to 10 times the revenue of regular consumers, highlighting the lucrative nature of mobile-targeted promotions.