UK mobile shoppers browse more but purchase less

If 2016 was the year of true omni-channel retailing, data analytics are showing spending habits amongst users and their preferred platforms.

Whereas smartphones are the device of choice, they still don't account for the majority of purchases.

According to a study by eMarketer, analytics from more than 300 billion visits to over 16,000 websites and more than 90 billion app launches, found that desktop conversion rates are more than 2.6 times higher than on smartphones. And they’re more than 1.3 times higher than on tablets.

Retail ecommerce conversion rates are likely higher on desktops because consumers are frustrated when browsing via mobile. According to companion research from Adobe Digital Insights, nearly half of respondents said mobile browsing was too slow, and nearly as many were frustrated with the device’s small screen. Poor navigation was another hindrance.

Factors like poor navigation can certainly lead consumers to turn to desktop devices for their browsing and purchasing needs. Some 28 percent of respondents said they switch to desktops because it’s easier to navigate there.

Moreover, 23 percent of respondents said they switch to desktops because they want to be able to see the product on a bigger screen before they buy it.

Data from eMarketer paints a different picture. Indeed, UK retail ecommerce sales are set to exceed 67 billion pounds in 2016, fueled by some impressive growth in smartphone-based buying, according to eMarketer’s forecast. The UK is a world leader in terms of retail ecommerce’s share of total retail sales, and by 2020 digital retail sales will represent a 22.6 percent share.

Photo credit: Entrepreneur online