M-commerce share of online grows 4,000 % in four years

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37% of UK online sales now come via smartphones and tablet devices; 4,000% increase on 2010
Clothing retailers see higher penetration of mobile sales; 43% of online sales via mobile devices
Visits to retail websites via smartphone and tablets accounted for 50% of traffic in the third quarter; down from 52% in Q2
Click & Collect accounted for 18% of online sales in Q3; up from 16% in Q2
Estimated £25.1bn spent online during Q3, with £9.3bn spent via smartphones and tablet devices

The latest results from the IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking Report has revealed that over 37% of online sales are now made via a smartphone or tablet device, with the figure increasing to 43% for clothing merchants.

With mobile (including tablets) accounting for less than 1% of e-retail sales in 2010, the sector has seen a staggering 4,000% growth in its penetration of online in just four years. Visits to retail websites on smartphones and tablets now account for exactly half of all online traffic.

An estimated £25.1bn was spent online during Q3 (August to October), with £9.3bn spent via smartphones and tablet devices.
The report also identified the growing influence of Click & Collect services for high street and multichannel retailers, with sales increasing from 16% in the second quarter of the year, to 18% in Q3.

Tina Spooner, Chief Information Officer at IMRG, said: “Mobile continues to take a larger slice of the UK online retail market and, while we are seeing a slowdown in the growth of m-retail penetration, sales via smartphones and tablets have recorded almost 50% year-on-year growth during 2014. 

“IMRG’s latest research reveals that one in five Multichannel retailers will be offering in-store ordering over the festive period and three quarters will be offering alternative delivery options, including timed delivery slots and Sunday delivery. Convenience will be key for consumers this Christmas and we are likely to see an increase in Click & Collect orders as this delivery method becomes the preferred option for many.”  

Adgild Hop, Capgemini’s Head of Retail Consulting, commented: “The results leave very little doubt that the value advancements in mobile technology have brought to the retail sector and we can see just how much influence smartphones and tablets now have on our shopping behaviour. It’s convenient, it’s quicker and with the ability to easily browse between retailers, it can also be cheaper.

“I look forward to comparing these results with Q4 2014 when we’ll be able to track the role mobile played during the busy Black Friday and Christmas shopping period.”

– ENDS –

Editors Notes:
The figures above are all taken from the IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking, an additional reporting tool that is open to all participants in the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. The Quarterly Benchmarking tracks over 40 key performance indicators across 7 categories, leading to unique insights into the performance of the UK e-retail sector.
Around 40 retailers currently participate in the IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking, including  Airport Parking & Hotels, B&Q, Bank, Blacks, Brora, Cartridge People, Clarks, Crocus, Debenhams, Deckers, Dune, Dunelm Mill, Freeman Grattan Holdings (Freemans, Grattan, Look Again, Kaleidoscope, Curvissa, Swimear365, Witt International UK), Get The Label, Hobbs, Home & Cook, JD Sports, John Lewis, LK Bennett, M and M Direct, Marks & Spencer, Millets, Moss Bros, New Look, Schuh, Scott, Silentnight, Size, Sofa.com, Sparkling Strawberry, The Body Shop and The White Company.
The quarters run as follows:

• Quarter 1 – February to April
• Quarter 2 – May to July
• Quarter 3 – August to October
• Quarter 4 – November to January

About IMRG
IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group) is the UK’s industry association for e-retail. Formed in 1990, IMRG is setting and maintaining pragmatic and robust e-retail standards to enable fast-track industry growth, and facilitates its community of members with practical help, information, tools, guidance and networking. The strength of IMRG is the collective and cooperative power of its members. For more information please visit http://www.imrg.org/ or email membership@imrg.org
About Capgemini
With more than 140,000 people in over 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2013 global revenues of EUR 10.1 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organisation, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore^®, its worldwide delivery model.
Learn more about us at www.uk.capgemini.com.
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