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IAB research suggests retailers are struggling to grasp the potential of tablets

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By John Glenday, Reporter

June 18, 2013 | 2 min read

Fresh research conducted by the Internet Advertising Bureau suggests that retailers are struggling to become mobile and tablet ready with just eight per cent of the UKs top 50 retailers (ranked by advertising expenditure) having a tablet optimised site – despite 74 per cent having a mobile optimised page.

This fundamental omission in the mobile economy was presented in the IAB’s Mobile Retail Audit which assessed optimised sites, apps, optimised search and in-store Wi-fi.

Tablet use now accounts for 4.4 hours of internet browsing per week, a window which most retailers are slamming shut for digital consumers.

Despite this of those brands that had a mobile optimised site, 81% had a transactional functionality built-in, significantly higher than the proportion of those brands that have an app (62%), currently standing at just 48%.

A further highlighted failing was the absence of a seamless digital experience across desktop and mobile platforms, with 90 per cent of retailers failing to provide unified account access.

IAB’s head of mobile, Alex Kozloff said: ‘This research shows that although the fashion specific retailers have grasped the essentials of mobile marketing there is still a large percentage of the top spending retailers that haven’t. With so many consumers now deciding to shop online brands can’t afford to not get this right. The IAB will be reaching out to retail brands specifically over the coming months to help educate them further about how to make the most of mobile.’

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