Mobile Shopping Visits Will Overtake Desktop 'In Months'

Almost a third of online sales are made via mobile devices, according to the latest research from the IMRG.

The number of sales from fashion websites was even stronger in the fourth quarter from November to January at 36 per cent compared to the total figure of 32 per cent.

The overall increase was an acceleration on the previous quarter when total sales on mobile devices hit 27 per cent. The total sales figure in the latest quarter was split between smartphones - with just 6 per cent - and tablets with 26 per cent.

Total visits from mobile devices now account for 45 per cent of traffic.

Tina Spooner, chief information officer at etail body the IMRG, said: 'With an estimated 12 million tablet devices sold in the UK alone last year and 70 per cent of UK consumers now owning a smartphone, it is not surprising that the penetration of mobile commerce has reached a third of the UK online retail market. 

She said: 'In fact, the latest results reveal the penetration of m-retail has surged 2,000 per cent in just three years. Consumer confidence in mobile continues to increase and improvements in mobile optimisation and the user experience are certainly factors in this. We expect this trend to continue throughout 2014, with visits set to surpass desktop usage over the coming months.'

During the quarter 51 per cent of clothing website visits were from mobile devices - the first time apparel traffic had exceeded the halfway mark.