Mobile transactions accounted for 36% of GCC online purchases in Q4 2015

The share of mobile transactions for online purchases is growing across the Gulf Cooperation Council, a new report has found.

The report by performance marketing company Criteo noted that mobile transactions accounted for 35.9 per cent of the GCC’s total online sales in the fourth quarter of 2015.

The regional figure is more than double the global average.

One in five mobile transactions in the GCC is conducted on a tablet, with the remaining taking place on smartphones.

The report also found that Apple’s iOS made up 54 per cent of mobile sales in the region, with Android accounting for 46 per cent.

“Mobile is an essential component of commerce today, with most consumers browsing and buying across multiple devices,” said Criteo’s chief product officer Jonathan Wolf.

“In order to better understand this digitally-savvy consumer, marketers need to stop looking at each device on its own, and start understanding the user behind them. Multi-device behaviour is the new normal.”

Globally, the report found that of the 1.4 billion online transactions, four in 10 purchases occur across multiple devices or channels.

In Q4 2015, global mobile transaction share grew 15 per cent, reaching 30 per cent of all e-commerce transactions. Mobile order values during the quarter stood at 87 compared to 100 for desktop.

“Retailers with a strong mobile shopping experience closed out 2015 with impressive sales results, shifting many mobile device browsers into buyers,” the report said.

“The proliferation of m-commerce is further fueling the desire for more personalised brand experiences from consumers. Digital marketers can no longer look at device use alone to identify and convert consumers into buyers.

“For companies to win, understanding user profiles across multiple devices, browsers, and apps in order to provide them with a meaningful and relevant experience throughout their shopping journey is key to success,” it added.