School is back in session and fall is almost in the air, which means that retailers around the world are preparing for the busiest shopping period of the year – the holidays. Although there are still a few months left until its official start, merchants are already gearing up for what they hope will be an excellent and successful holiday season.

BizReport explained that one trend expected to be seen throughout the retail industry in the coming months is mobile commerce. Citing research from IMRG and Capgemini, the source stated that mobile shopping has become increasingly prevalent within the United Kingdom, and this is sure to be reflected in other markets around the world.

The study revealed that in the second quarter alone, purchases made from mobile devices accounted for 23.2 percent of all retail sales. This represents an 11.6 percent increase from the same time last year. Additionally, visits to merchants' websites through mobile gadgets rose from 21.1 percent in last year's second quarter to 34 percent this year, the source noted.

For brands that want to leverage mobile commerce to boost sales during the upcoming holiday season, taking the time now to update point of sale systems and find out what customers want from mobile shopping options can help them successfully accommodate device-carrying consumers.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, September 4th, 2013 at 10:08 am .