Mobile commerce helps boost retail performance
E-commerce sales have grown in April in the United Kingdom this year. Much of this growth is being powered by mobile commerce, according to the British Retail Consortium, a trade association representing the UK retail industry. The association has released a new report concerning the growth of e-commerce, showing that mobile purchases are becoming increasingly popular throughout the country. April, in particular, showed strong growth in the mobile commerce sector.
Report highlights retail growth
According to the report, online sales for April rose by 8.3%. This is lower than the 9% growth that had been reported in online sales in April 2012, but this increase still represents promising progress. The report shows that mobile commerce made up a prominent portion of online sales. The British Retail Consortium suggests that as many as one in five retailers claim that much of their sales are coming from those using mobile devices.
Mobile commerce becoming more popular with consumers
Mobile commerce has become much more than a simple trend in the UK retail industry. Consumers are beginning to favor their mobile devices when it comes to shopping; using their smartphones and tablets to shop for and purchase products they are interested in. The retail industry has yet to embrace mobile commerce entirely, but many companies have been making an effort to become more accommodating to consumers that are interested in mobile commerce.
Easter helps draw attention to mobile commerce services
The report from the British Retail Consortium shows that growth in the retail sector is strongest in health and beauty lines, as well as clothing and home accessories. Growth in mobile commerce during April was aided somewhat by the Easter holiday, during which many retailers launched new initiatives to engage mobile consumers. Some of these initiatives proved more successful than others, providing retailers with a better insight into the workings of mobile commerce.
Businesses show lackluster interest in mobile commerce
Businesses in the United Kingdom may be woefully unprepared for the shift toward mobile, especially considering that many businesses do not consider mobile to be a significant area and most have no idea of the coming generation of 4G mobile networks. Barclays, a global financial services firm based in the UK, has released its “Online Business Outlook 2013” report, which highlights the attitude that businesses, both large and small, have concerning the mobile space. The report suggests that mobile commerce, while an interest to some companies, is not strongly supported with many UK businesses.
Report highlights the lack of support businesses have for the mobile space
According to the report, only 6% of business executives see mobile as a significant opportunity for growth this year. By contrast, a staggering 82% consider existing websites and online services to be worthy of the majority of their focus. The report also shows that a quarter of business executives have not heard of a 4G mobile network, despite the fact that such a network is finding expansion in some parts of the country. Many executives are aware of the emerging 4G network and the potential benefits it could bring to online retail, but are unwilling to support it.
Online businesses are already showing concern for the mobile space
While many businesses may not be concerning themselves with mobile, those that have a strong online presence are showing more interest in mobile commerce. The report shows that 64% of online businesses believe that having a strong mobile strategy is important to their success. Many of these businesses have not yet made their websites accommodating to mobile devices, but are working to do so in the near future. Mobile commerce has become a significant field of interest for these businesses as they see more consumers growing attached to the idea of purchasing products with their mobile devices.
Mobile commerce sees strong support among consumers
Mobile commerce has been seeing strong growth in some parts of the United Kingdom, but many businesses have yet to show their full support for this emerging trend. Thus far, consumers remain the strongest advocates for mobile commerce in the country, followed by some financial services and telecommunications companies interested in playing to the interests of these consumers.
