Americans are increasingly warming to the idea of using their phones to make in-store purchases. According to a survey of US consumers by Deloitte released today (Dec. 9), 18% of respondents reported paying with their phone in a store at least once this year, up from just 5% in 2014.
Most promising for the mobile payment industry is that 13% of respondents in 2015 said they use their phones on a semi-regular basis to make purchases. Last year the survey only asked whether people had ever made a mobile payment.
The survey highlights a growing interest in mobile payments among US consumers. Over the past year or so, a flurry of mobile wallet apps have been released to make it easier for users to make payments quickly and securely with their phones—notably from Apple $AAPL, Samsung, and Google $GOOGL’s Android. However, usage has been sporadic and consumers have unfounded concerns over security.
Despite the increased availability of mobile wallets, US consumers still feel much more comfortable paying through conventional means. A March 2015 Federal Reserve survey found that 75% of consumers prefer paying with cash or credit/debit cards instead of mobile wallets.
