If you are looking for a good reason to update or build a new BigCommerce store with the latest mobile responsive functionality, I can give you 179 billion great reasons.

A recent report stated that adults in the UK spent a staggering £179bn on eCommerce sales using mobile devices last year.

In what will be seen as another significant blow to brick-and-mortar retail, much of this spending occurred when consumers were out shopping. As a result, mobile now accounts for more than 50% of all eCommerce sales.

What are people buying on their smartphones?

Every product category is enjoying growth in mobile eCommerce.

Fashion is seeing huge gains with £30bn spent on new threads. Health and beauty is also seeing traction with £20bn of purchases being made.

Food and drink is a major driver of mobile sales, with £29bn spent on grocery shopping and £22bn on takeaways. Travel is also high up on our list of priorities with £16bn spent on foreign travel and UK staycations.

Mobile shopping trips

Despite so many of us working from home during the pandemic, the daily commute is by far the most popular time to shop. The average adult consumer makes 4.6 purchases during their commute every month. This increases to 5 purchases a month for more frequent commuters.

18–34-year-olds spend the most (£93 per week) among these commuters. However, that doesn’t mean older consumers aren’t afraid to shop on the move, with over 55-year-olds spending more than £60 every week.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, London commuters represented the biggest spenders on the move, accounting for $93bn. The South East of England and West Midlands came in second and third places, with a spend of £17bn and £13bn respectively. Looking at these figures, you might believe that a decent public transport network is vital for the eCommerce ecosystem.

A mobile-first eCommerce strategy

When you consider the size of the eCommerce opportunity available on mobile devices, you’d be foolish not to prioritize it. Therefore, Frooition always approaches every eCommerce design and build project with a clear vision for the mobile environment.

Good mobile eCommerce design isn’t just about ensuring a site is mobile responsive. It’s about making sure it is both functional and intuitive.

A mobile-first strategy shouldn’t be seen as a “next step” plan for your eCommerce development. It should be rooted in your objectives from day one.

Many of our eCommerce design clients come from world online marketplaces, including eBay and Amazon. As such, their businesses have been optimized for mobile for many years now. So why wouldn’t they expect the same treatment for their own store design?

Are you looking to develop a mobile-first eCommerce strategy? Book a 15-minute discovery call with one of our BigCommerce experts today, and we’ll get you mobile.