Delivery company DPD’s new research reveals that almost a quarter of Brits (23%) has shopped using their smartphones. The number drops just slightly to 19% when it comes to shopping via their tablets.
Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO commented, “Technology has revolutionised the way we shop from researching product features, to finding the best deal, through to doorstep delivery. In the space of just a few years m-commerce has grown from zero to an increasingly important retail channel. The m-commerce boom is hugely significant for retailers as internet-connected mobile phones and tablets give customers instant access to the high-street, 24/7.”
These results come out at the same time that Ofcom has updated its 2012 Communications Market Report. Ofcom’s report shows that the UK has one of the highest penetrations of smartphones, at 58%, while just under one in five (19%) has a tablet computer. One sixth (16%) of all website traffic in the UK was on a mobile, tablet or other connected device, higher than any other country in Europe.
DPD’s research shows that the m-commerce trend is set to continue with a quarter of people (24 per cent) saying that they expect to shop via their smartphone or tablet device in the next 12 months. Online shopping apps are key to the m-commerce revolution – 23 per cent of tablet and smartphone users have downloaded online shopping apps to help them make transactions more easily.
