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M-commerce rush anticipated during Christmas period

Monday, September 12, 2011 - 11:58 by Graham Miller

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As the Christmas shopping season is starting to take hold, more UK consumers than ever before will be carrying out safe shopping online from their mobile phones, according to a recent study.

In the past it has been necessary for retailers to check whether their e-commerce sites will stand up to scrutiny on laptops and desktop computers, but with the advent of the smartphone age, it is now a greater challenge to ensure that mobile users are able to view, access and shop via sites and apps, without being hindered.

Sixty per cent of people are going to use their smartphone for safe shopping online with increased regularity over the coming year, according to eDigitalResearch.

Of course the nature of m-commerce growth can be temperamental and fragile, with retailers easily able to dissuade customers from returning if their mobile sites and shopping applications are not up to scratch.

As Christmas 2011 approaches, there will be more people with smartphones in their pockets and a greater number of mobile sites and apps to choose from, so there will be less of a need to carry out extensive house-bound shopping sprees, when you can get the same work done while you are on the move.

Of course the Christmas shopping window is getting wider and wider each year, with many consumers choosing to pick up products over a longer period because this will allow them to bear the burden of the cost gradually, rather than in one big lump.

2011 could also see one of the first Christmas shopping periods during which e-commerce outlets are chosen purely for their lower prices, as the economic pressures are beginning to put a real squeeze on many consumers' wallets.

Various studies have shown that while in the past people shopped online because of the convenience, many more are turning to the web because it helps them make their money go further.