Mobile e-commerce on the rise in Europe

With multi-channel shoppers spending between 15 and 30 per cent more than those who only use one channel

More than 30 per cent of Europeans are using, or plan to use, mobile devices to shop online, according to a report.

Of those, 10 per cent are already using mobile for e-commerce, while another 20 per cent intend to do so in the future.

The report - commissioned by cloud optimisation company Akamai - also found that multi-channel shoppers spend between 15 and 30 per cent more than those who only use one channel.

Akamai's vice-president of international marketing, Martin Haering, said: "With increasing numbers of shoppers going online with mobile devices, it is important for retailers to get their mobile e-commerce strategies right the first time. The need for security, web site performance, scalability and availability has never been more important to underpinning success in the online marketplace."

The study also found 30 per cent of interviewees said they had spent more online during 2010 than in any other year. The most popular items were clothes and footwear (62 per cent), books and magazines (59 per cent) and travel (47 per cent).

Highest spenders were those aged between 35 and 54, with their spend at an average of €1,500 a year.

Most respondents (70 per cent) expect a web site to load in less than four seconds, or they will look elsewhere.

Ivano Ortis, research director of IDC Retail Insights, which carried out the survey, said: "E-commerce sales keep growing. Despite the recession, online sales grew by over 20 per cent in 2009, and the market is rapidly diversifying.

"Categories of goods that were previously thought suitable for in-store shopping only are making remarkable inroads online. Basket size is increasing, as is the level of services and support that customers are expecting from e-commerce web sites."

IDC interviewed 1,500 consumers in six European countries - the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden.