Ah the festive season is nearly here and with it comes the need to shop for Christmas gifts, but you don’t have to endure the hustle and bustle associated with Christmas shopping crowds especially if you own a mobile phone.

According to an article over on Market Watch, retailer are ramping up their interactive software and internet websites for easier access via a mobile phone so shoppers can easily locate deals, and coupons via their handset.

And according to a recent study for the Mobile Marketing Association, almost 60 percent of all mobile phone owners will use their device when they go out shopping. Apparently 64 percent of those surveyed stated they would check their device before heading out to a shop.

Furthermore 28 percent of respondents stated they would be checking their handset whilst waiting in line at the checkout. The Exec VP of Luth Research, Jacqueline Rosales has said…

“Holiday shoppers are always in a time crunch, and in this economy, they’re in a budget crunch too. Both of these factors have them relying on their mobile phone more than ever as a tool for finding bargains, the right gift and the quickest way to get to a particular merchant.”

There are numerous mobile apps available that enable people to search for deals on their mobile device, and thus this makes the humble mobile phone a potent tool when shopping this festive season.

So as the big sales is due to start, how many of our readers use mobile applications or their smartphone to locate that money saving offer when out shopping?