mCommerce in the UK is fast gaining traction, with 44 per cent of British shoppers now shopping online using their smartphone.

While the growth seems to support statements from figures such as Yahoos Marissa Mayer, who called 2014 the tipping point for mobile internet, the report from retail technology group Omnico also showed that 29 per cent of shoopers prefer visiting physical stores. The report findings suggest that a bricks and clicks strategy that enables mobile retail while also driving traffic to traditional physical stores may be the path forward.

The research highlighted the issues that may hold back mCommerces growth in the future, with 33 per cent of British shoppers citing security concerns as a worry that stopped them from mobile shopping, while 31 per cent say they are deterred by the small screen-size of smartphones.

The growth of tablets and phablets may serve as a solution to the latter problem, while familiarity and improvements in online payment services should help alleviate the publics concerns over security.

“Whilst the rise of mobile shopping is undeniable, it is clear that there is still a huge untapped audience to be converted,” said Steve Thomas, CTO of Omnico Group. “We are increasingly engaging with retailers that just want to make a start on this part and come to us to leverage the experience we can give them from successfully delivering programmes in these areas.

“Indeed, our research shows that retailers must remember that they need to innovate across all channels in order to reap the maximum benefits. The key is giving customers the best possible experience regardless of which channel, or combination of channels, they use.”