Mobile visits & desktop orders: what’s next
Mobile usage seems to be more related to pre-purchase browsing rather than to actual shopping. In the UK, mobile phones cornered online traffic to retail websites, accounting for over 70 percent of online visits. In turn, desktop traffic appeared more lucrative, as it resulted in higher conversion rates and average order values.UK users navigating apps or e-commerce sites are eventually less eager to achieve their purchases on mobile phones, where eight in ten shopping carts did not lead to an actual transaction. However, usage habits are evolving very fast. In 2021, the average value of orders made through mobile phones was higher than in 2020. Recent survey data indicated that smartphones were the favorite shopping devices, preferred by over six in ten British online shoppers.
What smartphones are used for
Mobile is a major e-commerce channel that doesn’t exclude but rather integrates with the shopping experience on other platforms. In 2021, Shop — the online shopping assistant used for package tracking — was the most downloaded Android app in the UK.Smartphones are also the key connection with in-store purchases and payments. About one-third of UK people enjoy the advantage of paying with their phones in shops or restaurants. While proximity payments spare consumers the hassle of using cards (or cash), retailers’ apps do the same with vouchers and loyalty cards. Among the British, Tesco Clubcard was the second-most downloaded mobile application on iPhones in 2021.
