UK leads Europe in mobile commerce growth
Mobile commerce is growing at a rapid pace in Europe, but one country has established a clear lead over other when it comes to driving this growth forward. According to data from Vente-privee.com, a leading European online retailer, the United Kingdom has established itself as a leader in the mobile field. The data suggests that the United Kingdom is the most mobile-centric country of the eight largest European nations. This has helped mobile commerce establish a strong foothold in the country, from which it can spread throughout the rest of the region.
Data shows 37% of sales come from UK mobile devices
The data from Vente-privee.com shows that approximately 32% of its sales come from mobile devices. The majority of these sales (53%) come from tablets, with approximately 47% coming from smartphones. Tablets have been growing more popular as mobile shopping platforms due to their large screens, which make it easier for consumers to navigate online stores. The data also shows that some 37% of online sales come from the United Kingdom, with France accounting for 29%.
UK consumers prove to be very mobile-centric
UK consumers seem to be more reliant on mobile devices than those in other countries. Many of these consumers have grown up with a strong involvement in some type of technology and have thus developed a strong affinity for mobile devices and other such technologies. This has enabled the UK to embrace mobile commerce more readily than other countries and retailers in the UK have been significantly more aggressive than others in their adoption of mobile payments.
Lack of mobile websites could slow growth over the long term
While mobile commerce is growing in the United Kingdom, this growth has been hampered by the relative lack of mobile-optimized websites. These sites were initially designed to be used for PCs rather than mobile devices. As such, mobile consumers often have trouble navigating these sites and making use of what mobile commerce services they may provide.
