Australians likely to shop on their phones this Christmas: Adobe

According to Adobe’s latest research, Australians’ keenness for shopping on their phones is just behind Japan, Ireland and the US.

This year’s Adobe Digital Index Holiday Shopping Prediction report found eight per cent of all online sales in Australia are predicted to be conducted through phones.

Adobe Asia-Pacific president, Paul Robson, said spending by Australians, as a percentage of total annual online sales, will be ahead of countries such as China, Canada, the UK and Germany.

“This shows just how important it is becoming to have engaging online retail experiences which come alive on a range of devices,” he said.

The growth of iPhone and Android as reliable shopping platforms has encouraged Australians to increasingly browse and buy through their smartphones.

“Whether at home, commuting and even when walking through the mall, shoppers are showing they want to do business with the brands they love through their phones,” Robson said.

Click to bid

Click Frenzy has quickly grown to become the premiere online shopping day in Australia, and Adobe expects this year’s Christmas shopping season, starting on November 18, to be the biggest one yet.

“This year we expect to see online spending grow by more than 15 per cent in Australia,” Robson said.

A large portion of the expected $189 million in sales that will be generated on Click Frenzy over 24 hours will come from smartphones.

Robson said shoppers are “breaking free from the constraints of the desktop” due to the increasing ease of payment methods available online.

“As smartphone screens become bigger and mobile data connections improve, it’s imperative that retailers now offer the very best experience on phones,” he said.

Patrick Budmar covers consumer and enterprise technology breaking news for IDG Communications. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @patrick_budmar.