Traffic generated by mobile search for retail products has grown by 181 per cent year-on-year in Q1 2011. Mobile searches also accounted for 11 per cent of total retail searches in the same period. 

The statistics come from a new quarterly report produced by Google and the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which will measure the growth of online retailers. The report quantifies the growth rate of mobile retail searches, as well as overall retail searches. 

The report measures Google searches for online retail products, and totals them for each quarter. The BRC-Google Online Retail Monitor will also rank the most popular retail search terms, and compare the performance of online-only retailers against companies with both online and physical stores. 

Stephen Robertson, director general of the British Retail Consortium, says: “Despite any short-term effects from weakening consumer confidence, what stands out here is the fundamental strength of the growth of online retailing. A 29 per cent increase in retail searches in a year is a huge increase in potential shoppers. The star performer is mobile. A three-fold increase reveals customers are taking to smartphone and tablet shopping very rapidly. The rise of mobile use to one in 10 searches sends a valuable message to any forward-thinking retailer that doesnt yet have an mCommerce platform.”