Online and mobile shopping increases at Argos

Friday, October 25, 2013 - 10:04 by Paul Tissington

Argos has reported on its performance over the first six months of 2013 this week, revealing that 16 per cent of its sales were made through mobile devices, which represents a doubling in m-commerce activity, year on year.

The retailer and its parent firm have been making significant investments in attempting to expand their multichannel capabilities, which is, in part, responsible for the rise in mobile sales.

Fifty two per cent of sales at Argos are now accounted for by safe shopping online and mobile platforms, which in the first half of the year generated revenues of £899 million.

The Home Retail Group, which also owns Homebase, reported that 43 per cent of the sales from across its retail businesses were now made online. In particular, the rise in m-commerce has been significant, with annual growth of 124 per cent registered in 2013.

The group has rolled out various new apps designed for smartphones and tablets which allow customers to buy products through safe shopping online while they are out and about. The apps also link in to click and collect services, that mean people can reserve items from their portable devices and pick them up in person shortly afterwards.

Embracing the multichannel approach is the best way for retailers to engage with consumers in the UK, who are now using their mobiles and tablets to browse the web and look for purchasing opportunities in greater numbers and with increased regularity.

Of course, ensuring that this can be carried out safely and securely is a big part of it, since consumers need to know that they can trust a retailer to keep their information protected, whether they are shopping from a PC or from a portable gadget. Some responsibility for online safety lies with the customer, so it is sensible to gain a basic understanding of how to protect yourself online.