# How Smartphones Have Changed The Shopping Landscape
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2018-03-22
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: How Smartphone Shopping Habits Are Shaping Online Retail
Meta Description: Discover how smartphone shopping is shaping the online retail landscape, with 88% of shoppers conducting research on their phones before purchasing.
URL: https://financedigest.com/how-smartphones-have-changed-the-shopping-landscapehtml

![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/fd220318-11-1736842901728-compressed.jpg)

The way consumers shop has changed considerably over the last decade, as new research by online smartphone retailer, [Mobiles.co.uk](http://Mobiles.co.uk), confirms. Although shopping online at home is not new, the way consumers shop via their smartphones is beginning to shape the online retail landscape, and the experts predict this is something that is set to continue, with 88% of shoppers now carrying out research on their phone before making a purchase\*.

[Mobiles.co.uk](http://Mobiles.co.uk) shares its findings following a study into the nation’s smartphone shopping habits.

Interestingly, sales made via smartphones grew by 18.9% year-on-year in December 2017\*\*, whilst desktop orders fell from 47% to 45% and tablet sales decreased from 17% to 14% (in the same time period). [Mobiles.co.uk](http://Mobiles.co.uk)’s own trends support these statistics, with sales made via smartphones increasing from 36% to 41% between 2016-2017.

That doesn’t mean to say that desktops and tablets are not still a popular form of online shopping; with supporting data by YouGov\*\*\* showing that 23% of UK adults make an online purchase at least once a week. This explains why physical spend has decreased by 32% on items such as books, music, videos, and [video games](https://www.financedigest.com/frameplay-announces-new-attention-metric-in-video-game-environments-validated-in-partnership-with-dentsus-attention-economy-team-by-first-to-market-studies.html "Frameplay Announces New Attention Metric in Video Game Environments, Validated in Partnership with dentsu’s Attention Economy Team by First-to-Market Studies").

[Google data shows that 76% of people who search](https://www.financedigest.com/your-phone-number-on-google-search-giant-now-takes-removal-demands.html "Your phone number on Google? Search giant now takes removal demands") on their smartphone for something nearby will then visit a related business within a day, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase. What’s more, smartphone users searching for products on their handset are twice as likely to be using mobile-optimised sites rather than shopping apps.

Commenting on the findings, Andrew Cartledge, Mobile Expert at [Mobiles.co.uk](http://Mobiles.co.uk), said: “Smartphones have changed shopping habits, and we believe for the better. They [allow consumers to shop](https://www.financedigest.com/some-in-shanghai-allowed-out-to-shop-end-of-covid-lockdown-in-sight.html "Some in Shanghai allowed out to shop; end of COVID lockdown in sight") 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our own results showing that while orders on smartphones have increased, which is in-line with general trends of smartphone use. The [way consumers](https://www.financedigest.com/the-future-of-retail-and-the-ways-that-retail-has-changed-for-consumers-during-the-pandemic.html "The future of retail and the ways that retail has changed for consumers during the pandemic") use smartphones has influence across the research, consideration and order touch points of a consumer’s journey.”

Yoel Marson, CTO at Ve Global, a specialist in [online consumer](https://www.financedigest.com/from-in-store-to-online-how-the-pandemic-affected-consumer-behaviour.html "From in Store to Online: How the Pandemic affected Consumer Behaviour") trends in the retail industry, added:

“It’s no secret that smartphones have [heralded a new era](https://www.financedigest.com/why-open-banking-heralds-a-new-era-of-ecommerce-merchant-and-bank-collaboration.html "Why Open Banking Heralds a New Era of eCommerce Merchant and Bank Collaboration") in the shopper/brand dynamic, opening up unprecedented levels of access and giving us the always-on customer.

“What’s more, our data shows that smartphones are no longer just the channel of choice for browsing in all major [international markets](https://www.financedigest.com/unicredit-focused-on-internal-delivery-open-to-ma-in-all-its-markets.html "UniCredit focused on “internal delivery”, open to M&A in all its markets"), but buying too. This mobile-first mindset is here to stay and it’s retailers with multichannel mobile engagement strategies, to attract and convert customers, that will come out on top.”


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---