Demandware: Mobile phones drive Q4 digital commerce

In fourth quarter 2015, mobile phones served as the primary engine of online retailing.



According to the fourth quarter “Demandware Shopping Index,” mobile phones were responsible for all growth in digital visit (112%) and basket (104%) size. Rates exceeding 100% indicate that digital visits and baskets actually shrank among users of tablets and PCs.



Mobile phones also accounted for a solid 68% of majority of digital order growth, with tablets and PCs accounting for the other 32%.



However, consumer preference for using different types of devices for digital shopping did fluctuate depending on time of the week. For example, consumers preferred using computers for online shopping on weekdays, with PC use peaking between 10 a.m. and noon weekdays. Mobile phones were more popular on weekends, peaking in use at 8 p.m. Tablet use for online shopping significantly trailed PC and mobile phone use at all times.



Digital consumers reduced the time they spent during an average shopping visit compared to the fourth quarter of the prior year. Average time per digital visit dropped 11% to 8.7 minutes. The decrease was even more pronounced among mobile phone users, whose average visit dropped 19% to 7.5 minutes.



Looking at mobile phone platforms, the study shows that while Android may be the more popular platform overall, digital shoppers prefer iOS. In the fourth quarter, iPhone represented 61% of digital shopping traffic and 62% of orders. Android only captured 38% and 39%, respectively.



Other notable figures include:

· Free shipping grew 72% compared to the prior year period.

· Average digital order discount was 16%.

· Average digital order value was $122.



The index is based on an analysis of the shopping activity of more than 400 million shoppers worldwide by digital commerce platform provider Demandware.