Earlier this year, Google made a lot of news with their report on smartphone usage and implications for the retail channel.

Today, there’s further statistical data on what to expect from smart phones and their smart buyers this holiday shopping season from Deloitte. Precisely, a Deloitte survey asserts 27% of smartphone users (about 42% of US consumers) will be using a smartphone in their shopping.

Om Malik chimes in with his usual astuteness…

Mobile and the rise of the smart buyer — Tech News and Analysis: “When I look at these stats, I don’t see bargain hunters. Instead, I see emergence of what I call a “smart buyer” who uses their smartphone to make smart decisions  — whether it is for price, location or the brand to spend money with. There are dozens of great apps for different mobile platforms that allow us to do everything from price match to get more information about a product you are about to buy, say, a television.”

For affiliates, this is a huge deal akin to the shift we saw in how “Black Friday” online shopping transformed affiliate marketing in 2004-2005 as it passed traditional expenditures in stores.

We’re on the brink of another one of those shifts… time to get mobile and smart about what devices your traffic is using to get to your sites and turn into conversions. Are you mobile friendly?