Has mobile penetration plateaud?
New data has suggested that the percentage of online sales completed through mobile devices may have reached a plateau.
IMRG and Capgemini have been measuring smartphone and tablet sales penetration since 2010, when just 0.9% of online sales were completed through the devices. The latest data reveals that 42% of UK online sales were via mobile and tablet devices in Q2 2015/16 which was unchanged from the previous quarter – the first time this has happened.
Tina Spooner, chief information officer at IMRG, said: “On the surface it looks like sales via mobile devices have stalled, although these figures alone don’t tell the full story. While tablets currently account for almost three-quarters of sales through mobile devices, sales growth through smartphones is rising at around four-times the rate of that through tablets and conversion rates on both device types are increasing.
“Figures from a number of manufacturers show sales of tablet devices have also slowed – it may be that the next mobile growth spurt will be purely driven by increasing consumer confidence in using smartphones for online shopping.”
The percentage of visits to retail websites made via mobile devices has continued to increase – reaching 60% in Q2 2015/16, up from 58% in the previous quarter.
Alex Smith-Bingham, head of digital, consumer products and retail at Capgemini, said: “The rate of mobile growth has slowed down in recent months, but the trajectory of the last five years has been tremendous. Online sales via mobile devices now equate to 42%, which is a remarkable achievement in such a short period of time and is testament to the central role mobile now plays in our daily shopping journey.
“UK retailers have capitalised on the available consumer technology to create an engaging and reliable experience for their customers. As this technology evolves and is enhanced, so too will our shopping experience as I predict retailers will approach the opportunity with the same level of zeal as they have with mobile devices.”
