Mobile penetration doubles in a year
The percentage of online sales completed through a mobile device has doubled in the space of a year according to a figures released by IMRG and Capgemini.
While in the second quarter of 2012 the percentage stood at 11.6%, by the second quarter of 2013 this figure had doubled to 23.2%. Over the same period, the percentage of online retail site visits through mobile devices also rose sharply, from 21.1% in the second quarter of 2012 to 34% in third quarter of 2013.
IMRG and Capgemini have been tracking sales through mobile devices for over three years, during which time the penetration recorded for online sales has grown by more than 2,000%, with the penetration of online retail visits via mobile devices climbing by 1,100%.
However, the switch in device types used for internet access appears to have had a knock-on effect for bounce rates. At the beginning of 2010, over 97% of retail site access was through a desktop. Over the subsequent three years, as mobile device access began to grow rapidly, the bounce rate rose from 21.7% in 2010 to 23.7% in 2011, before reaching 27% in 2012. For the year-to-date in 2013, IMRG and Capgemini have recorded a bounce rate of 26%.
Tina Spooner, chief information officer at IMRG, explained: “There appears to be a correlation between the surge in mobile commerce over the past three years and the rise in visitor bounce rates on e-retail websites. While consumers have generally become more confident in using their mobile devices as a shopping tool, the latest data suggests they have also become more demanding.
“Higher search volumes will inevitably result in an increase in bounce rates as shoppers will often compare products and pricing across several brands. However, by offering an engaging and relevant experience for customers across all channels retailers will ultimately achieve the end goal of higher conversion rates and an increase in customer loyalty.”
IMRG and Capgemini also found that there was a significant rise in Click & Collect sales in the second quarter of 2013. Reaching a record high of 16% of online sales for multi-channel retailers, this represents annual growth of 33% compared with the 12% penetration recorded in the second quarter of last year.
Chris Webster, vice president for consumer products and retail at Capgemini, said: “The record high levels of online sales via mobile devices corresponds with record high rates for Click & Collect, which now stands at 16% of all e-commerce orders. This correlation of mobile ordering and location flexible collection is at the heart of the mobile internet and the impact it will have on consumer behaviour. Maybe we are truly entering the Martini age – anytime, anyplace, anywhere.”
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