Consumers to spend �2.5 billion in 2016 via mobile devices

Research from PayPal predicted U.K. consumers will spend £2.5 billion shopping on their mobile devices in 2016, with the mobile market growing at an annual rate of 42 percent. Currently, mobile sales account for 1.5 percent, or £438 million, of all online retail sales. Further, every mobile shopper spends an average of £100 per year, and the company expects that number to grow to £180 by 2018.

The report suggested ticketing retail will increase 46.6 percent each year for the next five years, while daily deals and voucher market spending will grow 44.4 percent annually. The annual growth rate of the fashion industry is expected to be 42.9 percent, 42.1 percent for health and grocery, 40.4 percent for media and 39.6 percent for computing and appliances.

"The convenience of a connected device that can be used almost anywhere will lure increasing numbers of U.K. consumers into mobile buying," said Cameron McLean, general manager for merchant services at PayPal U.K. "Our report shows that this consumer pull will be matched by a retailer push, with mobile-savvy retailers offering slick, sophisticated mobile experiences that rapidly become a key part of an overall multi-channel strategy."

According to Retail Gazette, many retailers have already redirected their marketing focus to the development of their mcommerce strategies and offerings. In 2010, Marks and Spencer was one of the first retailers in the U.K. to launch a transactional mobile website, and, since then, retailers have developed and deployed websites specifically designed for mobile shoppers.