Mobile shopping is continuing to grow in the UK, as a new report claims that consumers are spending twice as much via mobile commerce today as they were last year.
According to a study by IMRG and Capgemini, mobile shopping accounts for almost a quarter of all online sales in the UK. The study shows that 23.2 percent of online sales were made through mobile devices, compared to the 11.6 percent reported last year. Moreover, the report indicates that the number of consumers who are browsing on mobile devices is growing as well, with more than a third of total online visits registered through mobile retail websites (from 21.1 percent in 2012 to 34 percent in 2013.)
IMRG and Capgemini have been following sales through mobile devices for the last three years. They reported that the mobile penetration rate of online sales has grown by more than 2,000 percent, and the penetration rate of online retail visits through mobile devices growing by 1,100 percent over that time.
Mobile penetration is without a doubt growing, but is mobile shopping growing in tandem?
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“There appears to be a correlation between the surge in mobile commerce over the past three years and the rise in visitor bounce rates on eRetail websites,” said Tina Spooner, CIO at IMRG. “While consumers have generally become more confident in using their mobile devices as a shopping tool, the latest data suggests they have also become more demanding.”
What Do The Changes Mean?
The report revealed that since consumers have been switching devices for Internet access, bounce rates have increased. Bounce rates measure the frequency with which consumers are visiting the site without clicking through to other pages.
According to the study, when 97 percent of all online transactions were done through desktop computers, bounce rates sat around 21.7 percent. As mobile shopping has become more common, though bounce back rates have jumped, growing to 26 percent in 2013.
These rates indicate that UK consumers are using their mobile devices to conduct product research or browse through websites instead of making purchases. The report states that consumers will research a product or service online, and then switch back to a desktop to actually make a purchase. Researchers suggest these results indicate that online retailers need to be updating their mobile sites to make the process easier for online shopping.
“Higher search volumes will inevitably result in an increase in bounce rates as shoppers will often compare products and pricing across several brands, said Spooner. “However, by offering an engaging and relevant experience for customers across all channels retailers will ultimately achieve the end goal of higher conversion rates and an increase in customer loyalty.”
To read the full report click here.
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