The latest results from the IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking Report reveals that more than 37% of online sales are now made via a smartphone or tablet device, with the figure increasing to 43% for clothing merchants.
With mobile – including tablets – accounting for less than 1% of e-retail sales in 2010, the sector has seen a staggering 4000% growth in its penetration of online in just four years. Visits to retail websites on smartphones and tablets now account for exactly half of all online traffic.
An estimated £25.1 billion was spent online during Q3 (August to October), with £9.3 billion spent via smartphones and tablet devices.
Tina Spooner, Chief Information Officer at IMRG , explains: “Mobile continues to take a larger slice of the UK online retail market and, while we are seeing a slowdown in the growth of m-retail penetration, sales via smartphones and tablets have recorded almost 50% year-on-year growth during 2014.
“IMRG’s latest research reveals that one in five Multichannel retailers will be offering in-store ordering over the festive period and three quarters will be offering alternative delivery options, including timed delivery slots and Sunday delivery,” Spooner continues. “Convenience will be key for consumers this Christmas and we are likely to see an increase in Click & Collect orders as this delivery method becomes the preferred option for many.”
Adgild Hop, Capgemini’s Head of Retail Consulting, adds: “The results leave very little doubt that the value advancements in mobile technology have brought to the retail sector and we can see just how much influence smartphones and tablets now have on our shopping behaviour. It’s convenient, it’s quicker and with the ability to easily browse between retailers, it can also be cheaper. I look forward to comparing these results with Q4 2014 when we’ll be able to track the role mobile played during the busy Black Friday and Christmas shopping period.”
