Total retail search volumes grow

Recent results published by the British Retail Consortium show and Google show that in the first quarter of 2011 total retail search volumes grew by 29% compared with the same quarter last year. Mobile retail search traffic rose by 181%

over the same period and mobile searches accounted for 11% of total retail searches.

Retail searches across the board grew fastest for multi channel retailers with a 42% year on year rise compared to just 19% for online retailers alone. The research also showed that the number of overseas consumers searching for UK retailers had grown by 27% whilst the number of UK consumers searching for overseas retailers grew by 21%.

Stephen Robertson, Director General, British Retail Consortium, said: "Online is the fastest growing part of retailing. We need to better understand that development and what's driving it. Despite any short-term effects from weakening consumer confidence, what stands out here is the fundamental strength of the growth of online retailing. A 29 per cent increase in retail searches in a year is a huge increase in potential shoppers. The star performer is mobile. A three fold increase reveals customers are taking to smartphone and tablet shopping very rapidly. The rise of mobile use to one in ten searches sends a valuable message to any forward-thinking retailer that doesn't yet have an m-commerce platform. The figures show, British retailers are very good at selling online and winning business from all parts of the world. What we need from politicians, UK and European, is a regulatory environment that helps that develop further."

Peter Fitzgerald, Retail Director, Google, said: "The launch of the Online Retail Monitor (ORM) marks a big step in understanding online consumer behaviour across retail categories. The report provides key insights into some important online trends, including the most popular products consumers are searching for and the varied rates at which multi-channel and pureplay retailers are growing online. We hope that it will provide retailers with an up to date snapshot of the ever-changing digital retail marketplace."

The results are the first of what will be a series of quarterly figures published by the BRC and Google