Ebay calls for m-commerce support

Online retailer Ebay in a new report is calling for the Government to support the growth of m-commerce. The leading online marketplace has submitted to government its Mobile Manifesto, setting out plans to ensure that improvements to

the burgeoning digital communications industry are prioritised. The mobile manifesto comes after research consultancy, Verdict, put together a survey for Ebay which showed that mobile shopping could deliver a £4.5billion boost to Britain’s economy by 2016.

Retailers must be ready to harness the potential of the mobile economy, according to eBay, as its manifesto brought together retailers, network operators, industry bodies and consumer groups who made clear that developments are a necessity.

Miriam Lahage, Vice President of Global Fashion at eBay, pointed out that the industry remains resilient despite cutbacks in other areas as consumers now see mobile technology as a necessary expense.

“As smartphone and tablet ownership increases there will be even greater potential rewards for companies investing in mobile, and this is particularly true for retailers,” Lahage added. “At eBay in the UK we now see around 10 per cent of sales by value transacted on mobile devices, but we need the right infrastructure in the UK to match this demand. For retailers, it’s about putting mobile at the heart of your strategy and creating a site that is optimised for every device.”