Mobile Commerce Heads For £1.3bn Christmas Bonanza

Online retail association IMRG and information services group Experian have predicted that online sales in the UK will reach more than £636m on Christmas Day, and £748m on Boxing Day, with a peak of £519k being spent per minute across 167m retail sites on the second day.

The group highlights the importance of smartphones and tablets in driving the trend, with many consumers likely to receive new mobile devices for Christmas and then immediately use them to browse retailers.

Watershed year

Dan Wagner, CEO of Powa Technologies, says that following the record-breaking £810m spent online on Black Friday, the combined £1.3bn online sales predicted for Christmas and Boxing Day show that retailers who are lacking a comprehensive mobile strategy will miss the bulk of seasonal sales altogether.

Wagner said: “This has already been a truly watershed year for mobile commerce, and the vast amount of sales expected to take place online over Christmas and Boxing Day will truly cement 2014 as a turning point in retail.

“Between this and the phenomenal level of online sales seen from Black Friday right through the season,  orchestrated discounts have clearly succeeded in attracting shoppers online, but providing an enjoyable shopping experience  will prove to be equally important. Shoppers now see hunting for bargains on online and mobile sites as a fast, fun activity to dip into anytime, and retailers must be equipped to make the entire process as easy as possible”.

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