iPhone replaces iPad as ecommerce device of choice
iPads have long been the device of choice for consumers conducting ecommerce transactions thanks to their larger screens. However, new research from Criteo, conducted among 1.4 billion online transactions – suggests that iPhones are now the primary mobile device for ecommerce in the UK.
Almost half of ecommerce transactions in the UK (48.9%) during Q1 2016 took place on a mobile device – up 6% YoY. A fifth (19%) of all UK ecommerce transactions took place on iPhones, up 7% in the 12 months since Apple Pay launched and more than the volume conducted on iPads.
“The widespread adoption of increasingly powerful smartphones with larger screens is improving the m-commerce experience,” says a report from Ovum, ‘The Future of Ecommerce: The Road to 2026‘, alongside which Criteo’s findings were published. “Meanwhile, more and more retailers are optimizing their sites for mobile shopping. Together, these developments are turning the smartphone into a platform that can support the whole shopping journey, from product search and discovery, to comparisons, recommendations, and payments.”
The driving force behind mobile commerce is the use of apps, says Criteo, constituting almost two-thirds (65%) of mobile transactions globally, and 35% taking place via the mobile web. Fashion and luxury and mass merchant retail industries in the UK were found to be the most advanced with respect to mobile commerce with 55% and 50% of all ecommerce transactions taking place on a mobile device respectively.
“Consumers now expect a highly personalized experience at all stages of the purchase journey,” said Jon Buss, Managing Director, Northern Europe, Criteo. “With mobile now accounting for almost half of all ecommerce transactions in the UK, the successful retailers will be those who can target people rather than devices, delivering tailored and personal shopping experiences that span digital and in-store.”