Partner Article

Mobile shopping to rise by 68% in 2016

New research from Connexity reveals that the number of purchases made by a mobile device in 2016 is projected to rise by 68 per cent – a growth much bigger than some retailers may expect. This rise is partly due to the dominance of smartphones, on which up to a third (33%) of all online purchases will be made this year.

Specialist in retail marketing and online buying behaviour, Connexity, analysed data from over 540 million online purchases made between 2013 and 2015 to predict how consumers will buy in 2016. The findings clarify for retailers and agencies the priorities that should be considered when it comes to mobile, underlining the importance of providing seamless online experiences across devices.

In summary, the Connexity study reveals:

• Mobile website purchases will increase by as much as 68 per cent from 2015 to 2016
• Nearly half (42%) of all online orders during the Christmas 2016 period may be made on a mobile device

The research into the future of mCommerce also gives important insight into which mobile devices consumers are using to shop:

• Whilst 33 per cent of all website purchases will be made on smartphones, purchases on tablets are expected to stagnate or slightly decline in 2016
• Although a majority of all online purchases will be made on phones, the iPad still comes out on top when compared to other operating systems and devices. In 2015, purchases made on iPads still surpassed those made on individual iPhone and Android phones throughout the year

This growing preference towards mobile is also evident across the multiple services consumers are using on a day to day basis. The below statistics from Hitwise, a division of Connexity, reveal the growth in UK consumers accessing services across industries via searches on their mobile devices since 2015:

• Banking services has grown 106 per cent
• Telecommunications has grown 84 per cent
• Government services has grown 82 per cent
• Utilities has grown 64 per cent
• Freight and storage services has grown 58 per cent
• Insurance has grown 53 per cent
• Grocery and alcohol shopping has grown 50 per cent

Commenting on the study, Hayley Silver, Vice President of Insights at Connexity, says: “The data from this study will be invaluable for retailers, as it gives them an insight into how consumers are behaving online, helping them understand how to better target audiences and create more personalised marketing messages.

“Retailers – in fact all consumer facing brands – need to ensure that their online experience and all core actions work properly and intuitively on iPhones, Android phones, and iPads.

“Prioritise development projects and QA tasks based on your customer experiences and satisfaction by device, OS and browser. It is unfortunately common for a new feature or user experience to operate as expected, but still manage to displease or confuse the customer.

“Brands should measure customer satisfaction before and after all major releases, especially those that are integral to purchase. Considering the percentage of mobile website purchases project for 2016, focusing exclusively on your in-app experience may alienate new visitors, thwart conversion or damage your brand.“

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Connexity .