Retailers urged to focus on mobile web design

19/08/2008

British retailers need to do more to make their websites accessible for those browsing the mobile internet, a new study has suggested.

Conducted by BT among users of the Broadband Anywhere BT ToGo smartphone, the research indicated that an increasing number of consumers are using the mobile internet to search for retail bargains - potentially meaning that businesses should ensure their mobile e-commerce web design is adequate for this purpose.

When asked what their idea of a good mobile retail website would be, a fifth of respondents said that such sites should be designed specifically for the mobile platform, while almost four in ten called for easy navigation and 25 per cent emphasised the importance of fast-loading pages.

"People want fit-for-purpose content that offers as sophisticated an experience on their handheld device as they're used to on their PC," commented BT futurologist Ian Neild.

"At the current rate, many businesses are in danger of being caught on the hop."

Almost 13 per cent of UK mobile owners accessed the internet from their handsets during the first quarter of 2008, according to a recent study conducted by Nielsen Mobile.