UK Shoppers Browse On Mobile But Buy On Desktops

U.K. consumers are using their smartphones in record numbers to check out products online, but when it comes to making actual purchases, they favor desktops over mobile phones.

That’s according to a report from eMarketer looking at a recent Adobe survey that found browsing sessions on mobile phones don’t translate into purchases. Adobe looked at more than 300 billion visits to more than 16,000 websites and greater than 90 billion app launches and discovered conversion rates when using a desktop is 2.6 times higher than using a smartphone. On tablets, the conversion rate is 1.3 times greater than with mobile phones.

“Retail eCommerce conversion rates are likely higher on desktops because consumers are frustrated when browsing via mobile,” said eMarketer. Another Adobe research report found close to half of respondents cited the slowness of mobile browsing for not making purchases, while lots more get frustrated because of the small size of the device’s screen. Others cited trouble navigating on a mobile phone. In the second Adobe report, 28 percent of respondents said, when purchasing, they switched to a desktop because it’s easier to navigate, while 23 percent of survey respondents said they switch to a desktop because they want to see the product on a larger screen before making a purchase.

While Adobe found a low conversion rate when it comes to mobile browsing, eMarketer said its own data paints a different picture. According to eMarketer research, U.K. retail eCommerce is expected to surpass £67 billion this year, driven by growth in purchases via smartphone. By 2020, digital retail sales will account for 22.6 percent of the market share, eMarketer reported.