New research from Capgemini has found that smartphones are the top choice of device for customers when online shopping, marking the first time they have outranked tablets and desktop computers. 

At the end of 2018 and start of 2019, just over 40% of all online retail purchases were made using smartphones, while almost 40% were made on desktops and 20% on . According to quarterly data from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, smartphones also made up over 70% of all sales conducted through mobile device sales. 

“Smartphones make it is easier than other forms to be truly omnichannel, which is about being where your customers are and therefore are optimally placed for influencing the retail customer journey,” said Lucy Gibbs, senior consultant in Retail Analytics at Capgemini Invent. “The advancements over the last few years in mobile banking, in-app purchases and a greater focus on optimising m-commerce sites have all led to the facilitation and increased confidence in purchasing on smartphones.”

UK shoppers are also increasingly using mobile devices for accessing retail sites. In the last quarter of 2018, just under 75% of site visits were made through mobile devices and 26% through desktops, compared with an even split in 2015. 

“This is another significant step in smartphones becoming the dominant device through which we manage so many aspects of our lives,” said Andy Mulcahy, strategy and insight director at IMRG. “This does not spell the end of other devices being used for online retail purchases, however – people tend to use multiple devices depending on which is most convenient. For example, during standard working hours, a higher proportion of sales come through desktop as people are sat in front of their computers at work.”

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