John Lewis saw traffic from mobile devices overtake desktop computers and laptops for the first time in the five weeks to December 28
John Lewis has declared December 2013 the UK’s “first ever mobile Christmas”, with three-quarters of Christmas Day online visits from smartphones and tablets.
According to the retailer, online sales for the five weeks to December 28 accounted for 31.8 per cent of the total, up 22.6 per cent from 9.2 per cent in the same period last year.
Over three quarters (76 per cent) of traffic to its website on Christmas Day came from smartphones and tablets. Over the whole period 56 per cent of online visits were made from mobile devices, compared to around 25 per cent last year – making it the first year mobile has overtaken desktop computers and laptops.
The retailer said: “Changing shopping habits were highlighted during December. John Lewis saw its prediction that this year will be the UK’s first ‘mobile Christmas’ come true. On Christmas Day, traffic from mobile phones and tablets made up three quarters of total traffic, overtaking that from desktops by a considerable margin.”
It declined to give a breakdown of product sales but said electronics and home technology sales rose 10.7 per cent year on year over the Christmas period.