According to the BRC-Google online retail monitor for the first quarter of 2015, there was a 54 per cent increase in the number of smartphone searches for UK clothing products and a 11 per cent rise in tablet searches.
Eastern European countries such as Serbia, Slovakia and Hungary saw the biggest growth rates in searches across all devices driven by smartphones – with search volumes at 194 per cent, 136 per cent and 102 per cent respectively. There was also huge growth in the number of smartphone searches from Indian, German and Mexican online shoppers. The most popular products being searched for included footwear and luxury clothes as the emerging middle classes showed their spending confidence. In contrast, UK shoppers searching for overseas clothing retailers increased by nine per cent during the first quarter, a rise on the five per cent level recorded in the same quarter a year ago. Despite the general rise in online popularity, six countries experienced declining search volumes using tablet devices including Australia, the US, Taiwan and Russia. Overall in the UK, searches for multichannel clothing firms recorded a 42 per cent increase year-on-year. Sports and fitness clothes, particularly in the first few months of the new year as people tried to get fit, women’s clothing and outerwear proved the most popular. There was also rising demand for engagement rings and wedding dresses as the wedding summer season approaches. “The latest figures show that UK consumers are making greater use than ever of handheld devices to shop online, particularly where it comes to buying clothes,” said Helen Dickinson, director general at the British Retail Consortium. “British shoppers are also increasingly looking abroad as well as at home to buy their clothes, with a nine per cent rise in consumers searching online for overseas clothes retailers. This trend also applies to shoppers from abroad.” Read more about mobile device retail:
Peter Fitzgerald, retail director, at Google added: “Mobile continues to drive growth in the UK and this remains the case with apparel in the first quarter. Interestingly emerging markets still see strong growth from tablets, however smartphones supercharge growth for overseas consumers of UK brands. “Multichannel retailers had a strong Q1, growing at 42 per ent year-on-year. This reflects the increasing trend we see in the UK toward click-and-collect services. Consumers value the convenience of in-store collection, and particularly for apparel, the ability to easily return goods to store.” Image: Shutterstock
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.