LONDON: British shoppers are more likely to use their smartphones to make online purchases than any of their European counterparts, a new study has revealed.
Out of 18 European countries surveyed by research firm TNS on behalf of Google, the UK recorded by far the highest proportion of adults who make a purchase every month on their smartphone.
Almost one-third (32%) do so, compared to just 8% of online shoppers in France and Italy, 15% in Germany and 19% in Sweden, Mobile Marketing reported.
The study also found 83% of UK online consumers use the internet daily compared to 75% in 2013 and that 64% use it several times a day, up from 57% last year.
The proportion of UK consumers buying online also increased in 2014, rising to 77% from 72% in 2013, reported Internet Retailing.
The increasing popularity of online shopping in the UK is also mirrored by the rise of other online activities – watching online video content increased from 61% in 2013 to 66% in 2014 while visits to social networks rose to 72% in 2014 compared to 64% last year.
The research has been released to coincide with the launch of Google's new "Multi-screen resources" website, which the technology giant has developed to provide advice and case studies for brands seeking to improve their website design and performance across all mobile platforms.
"In the UK, people are increasingly using their smartphones for researching products, locating stores and making purchases. That's why it is now essential for businesses to ensure their sites are mobile-ready," said Matt Brocklehurst, product marketing manager at Google.
"We hope our new resource will help companies who already have a mobile-friendly site [to] improve its performance, and those in the planning stages find the right route for them," he added.
Out of 18 European countries surveyed by research firm TNS on behalf of Google, the UK recorded by far the highest proportion of adults who make a purchase every month on their smartphone.
Almost one-third (32%) do so, compared to just 8% of online shoppers in France and Italy, 15% in Germany and 19% in Sweden, Mobile Marketing reported.
The study also found 83% of UK online consumers use the internet daily compared to 75% in 2013 and that 64% use it several times a day, up from 57% last year.
The proportion of UK consumers buying online also increased in 2014, rising to 77% from 72% in 2013, reported Internet Retailing.
The increasing popularity of online shopping in the UK is also mirrored by the rise of other online activities – watching online video content increased from 61% in 2013 to 66% in 2014 while visits to social networks rose to 72% in 2014 compared to 64% last year.
The research has been released to coincide with the launch of Google's new "Multi-screen resources" website, which the technology giant has developed to provide advice and case studies for brands seeking to improve their website design and performance across all mobile platforms.
"In the UK, people are increasingly using their smartphones for researching products, locating stores and making purchases. That's why it is now essential for businesses to ensure their sites are mobile-ready," said Matt Brocklehurst, product marketing manager at Google.
"We hope our new resource will help companies who already have a mobile-friendly site [to] improve its performance, and those in the planning stages find the right route for them," he added.
Data sourced from Mobile Marketing, Internet Retailing; additional content by Warc staff
