UK holiday sales going the way of mobile commerce
Consumers in the United Kingdom are using their mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to complete a variety of daily tasks. This trend is expected to continue into the holiday season, as shoppers purchase items and gifts with their mobile devices.
Internet Retailer reports that according to the IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index, sales made through the mobile channel will reach £920 billion ($1.5 billion) during the first few weeks of December. This represents 20 percent of the £4.6 billion ($7.3 billion) that is estimated to take place online.
"What we are seeing in this 20 percent mobile forecast is a shift in the way that consumers interact with brands online," says Tina Spooner, CIO at IMRG. "While it is still common for consumers to browse the shops at weekends before making the final purchase online at Monday lunchtime, we are increasingly seeing the popularity of 'second-screening,' where people browse on their mobile devices in front of the TV."
Online retail sales are anticipated to keep growing in the U.K. even after the holiday season is over, states Computer Business Review. A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit found that while ecommerce only comprises about 10 percent of retail purchases now, by 2022, nearly a third of all sales in the country will be done online.
