Retailers which fall under the umbrella of the Shop Direct group experienced a significant shift towards smartphone use amongst customers over the past 12 months, with Brits not only browsing from mobiles but also using them to make purchases.

Internet Retailing reports that sites operated under brands such as Littlewoods attributed 53 per cent of sales to smartphones during this period, with almost a third of this proportion being generated by standalone mobile apps.

This indicates that there is growing confidence amongst consumers in the idea that smartphones are suitable for safe shopping online, not just as a means of casual browsing.

Mobiles already account for the majority of searches and general web traffic, but desktop PCs and laptops are still out in front in terms of pure sales activity. Now that Shop Direct has experienced a tipping point towards smartphone dominance, it is only a matter of time before the entire market reflects this change.

One of the ways that Shop Direct has encouraged this change in customer habits is by improving the level of personalisation that is available on its mobile platforms. People carrying out safe shopping online via its sites and apps can tailor the experience to their own needs and tastes, without having to head to a separate device to complete transactions.

Furthermore, the use of machine learning algorithms enabled the retail group to boost sales and reduce bounce rates by providing reminders about products coming back into stock. This proved to be especially effective when focused on home and beauty items.

Artificial intelligence is being used in other ways by this retailer, with apps which provide after-sales support and answer customer questions in real time, helping to improve satisfaction levels and aid in retention. Rival firms will, no doubt, take note of Shop Direct’s success in this area.