Only 10% of the top 100 online retailers have built a website which is optimised for browsing on a tablet, with the likes of PC World, Thomson and Bhs ignoring this growing market, according to a new report.
The study, by mobile marketing agency Somo, also found that only 26% of the most popular sites on the web have an iPad app, with less than 20% having created Android tablet apps. Only 57% of online retailers have a website that works on mobile.
With UK smartphone penetration surpassing 50%, and mobile devices making up around 15% of all online traffic, retailers are potentially missing out on a burgeoning market, claims Somo.
Tesco came out on top as the only retailer that had several iPad commerce, publishing and enterprise apps, and a website that works on tablets and smartphones. Although TopShop recently stated that around two-thirds of its mobile visitors came from tablets, they do not have a tablet site or app for their customers.
Given that shopping is the number one activity performed on tablets in the UK, these results show retailers are lagging behind consumers in embracing new technologies, says the report.
Somo chief executive Nick Hynes said: “The astonishing thing is that almost half of the top online retailers haven’t even got a mobile website. This is very basic stuff. A well built site does retailers the world of good, allowing customers to make shopping comparisons on their phones while in store, and browse leisurely at home on their tablet. These companies have to start looking at the role that mobile plays in their customer journey; at the moment they’re missing a trick.”
