Motricity has released its study from Christmas, and if it’s numbers are to be believed, mobile has truly come into its own as a commerce venue.  Here are a few stats from their study:

• 38% of consumers used a mobile device to purchase a gift
• 37% used or signed up for a digital coupon using their mobile device
• No surprise – 18-24 year olds were the most visible in the mobile space, with 41% using their mobile device to make a purchase
• 25% cited a convenience factor, such as avoiding crowds and its multi-tasking features
• 16% said savings was the driving factor for the purchase – putting to bed the notion that m-commerce is all about rapid (and rabid) price shopping

And it’s getting easier – at least in the eyes of consumers.  93% said they had an easy experience, with almost two-thirds saying they were planning on using the device more in the future!

What’s that tell us?  Well, mobile’s here baby.  And not just mobile – m-commerce.  What’s this mean for local search?  The reality is that your competition is now accessible by that little brick in your customers pocket.  Not just for online purchasing – it means you need to be found.  It means that you need to read this little article to make sure you’re visible to customers looking for you.

M-commerce is an easy analogy for how people are searching on the web.  If they’re making their online purchase decisions on their phones, it’s a safe bet they’re making offline business selection on their phones.  Are you going to be visible?