Spending via smartphones is set to outperform tablets, according to new data.
The latest report from research and consulting firm GlobalData found that spending on smartphones would account for 51.5 per cent of the UK mobile and tablet market by 2018.
Sales of tablet devices are on the decline, the report said, and it highlighted that spending via smartphones was predicted to grow by 112 per cent in the next five years.
By 2022, spend via smartphones was forecast to account for 23.8 per cent of all online expenditure – up from 15.1 per cent in 2017.
Charlotte Pearce, retail analyst at GlobalData, said: “Food and grocery, and clothing and footwear retailers in particular are driving spending via smartphone, and the clothing and footwear sector will account for 42 per cent of all smartphone spend by 2022. This is largely boosted by online pure-plays such as Asos and Boohoo, which target younger shoppers who are more willing to purchase on a mobile phone. These fast fashion pure-plays are already experiencing high penetration from smartphones at around 70 per cent of all traffic.”
In order to stay ahead in this market, Ms Pearce urged retailers to encourage downloads of their mobile apps by adding features to aid conversion and improving functionality.
Ms Pearce added: “In an increasingly competitive market, where consumers are also shifting their spend from retail to leisure, loyalty schemes have become a hot topic, aimed at driving spend per head, with many retailers launching programmes in the past year. Retailers should use promotional activity to drive awareness of new apps and the benefits of using these to encourage downloads and repeat app use.”
