Mobile Sales To Hit $730bn by 2017

'Couch Commerce' will push mobile transactions to hit an estimated $730bn (£466bn) by 2017, according to research from Juniper.

This growth will be driven by retailers migrating to mobile, led by companies such as Domino's Pizza and Argos, which has 6 - 7 per cent of its sales via mobile.

In its report, Mobile Payments for Digital & Physical Goods: Opportunity Analysis 2012-2017, Juniper says that Tablets will become increasingly popular, taking share away from desktops and laptops, and becoming settled as the 'second screen'.

Juniper predicts that this type of 'couch commerce' could drive mobile and 'nomadic' devices to account for 30 per cent of all eCommerce within five years. E-tailers like eBay are already pushing mobile commerce by integrating their offer with the device, so search can be conducted by picture, for example.

Report author Dr Windsor Holden says: "We have already moved towards a multitasking, multimedia environment which offers brands the opportunity for far greater engagement with consumers than was previously the case. Mobile is increasingly being deployed at all touchpoints in the retail process – product discovery, product purchase, customer retention."

There is one note of warning from the report - consumers continue to be worried by transaction safety despite the sharp increase in mobile sales.