UK shoppers will spend more than £350m online on Christmas Day, and another £540m on Boxing Day, etailer trade association the IMRG has predicted. That adds up to £890m, spent, the organisation predicts, as shoppers multi-screen while watching holiday films.
Many of those shoppers are expected to use their Christmas gifts of new tablet computers and other mobile devices to do their festive shopping. Sales via mobile devices are expected to hit £100m on Christmas Day and more than £140m on Boxing Day.
According to IMRG Quarterly Benchmarking, visits to retailers’ websites via mobile devices now account for a massive 38% of total visits, up 58% on the same period last year, demonstrating that tablets and smartphones really are changing the way we shop.
Andrew McClelland, chief operating officer of IMRG , said: “Mobile device usage really is changing the way we shop. Online always used to be mutually exclusive and not always consistent with the High Street. Smartphones, accounting for 20% of mobile-enabled sales on retailers’ websites, really are helping customers shop whilst on the move.
“Tablets are also accelerating this mobile change, lowering the barriers to entry, with prices continuing to fall, their design and interfaces being less intimidating and truly being ‘always on’ so we, as shoppers can now truly shop when-ever and where-ever we want.”
Chris Webster, vice president, retail at Capgemini , said: “With the launch of budget tablets, improved m-commerce sites and greater connectivity than ever before, 2013 really has been the year of the mobile. It comes as no surprise then that Christmas and Boxing Day will mark a high point for what has been a remarkable 12 months. With the growth of m-retail, surfing for festive bargains on your tablet while watching the Dr Who Christmas special will become as traditional in UK homes as the Queen’s Speech.”