UK m-commerce penetration hits 91 per cent

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - 09:49 by David Aiken

A new study has found that almost 91 per cent of consumers in the UK have used their mobile phone to take part in some form of m-commerce, which is one of the highest penetration levels in the world.

The survey conducted by MEF, considered both product research and actual safe shopping online via phone to be within the same m-commerce category, which perhaps explains why the figure in the UK was so significant.

Across the global audience which took part in this study, no nation dropped below 72 per cent for m-commerce usage.

Eighty-two per cent of UK consumers said that they used their mobile phones to go online at least once a day. In the meantime, around a third of people actually use their laptops and desktop computers less frequently for safe shopping online, as a direct result of m-commerce availability.

Close to 9,000 people were questioned in the study and even in the areas of the world where mobile ownership is still developing there were positive results for m-commerce uptake.

MEF spokesperson, Andrew Bud, said that retailers should take note of the power which m-commerce is beginning to have over the international markets. Since a growing number of phones can provide browsing experiences which match desktop web access, more people are leaving their PCs alone and turning to their phones to shop and socialise.

Ultimately it will be the consumers which drive the evolution of m-commerce and many high street retailers who are feeling the pinch as people are lured away from bricks and mortar outlets will be investing in enhancing their mobile presence.

The study found that 27 per cent of people were put off m-commerce as a result of security concerns, so this is clearly an area that requires work from retailers to enhance trust.