The arrival of universal 4G – as the various operators start to deploy the share of spectrum they won in the auction last month – could boost the retail economy by around £1.8bn in 2013, according to research commissioned by eBay. This boost would come from a 113 per cent uplift in mobile shopping, compared to 2012.

The reason eBay believes 4G will play such a vital role is that, according to the study, the major frustrations with shopping on mobile devices in the UK are still speed (50.3 per cent) and reliability (49.6 per cent).

“Consumers today want convenience and speed,” said Olivier Ropars, senior director of mCommerce at eBay Europe. “The arrival of universal 4G will bring with it a more immersive, instant and intimate shopping experence than ever before – putting the most exciting features of mobile retail as we know it into high definition. It won’t just turbo-charge the way we shop. It will truly give us the ability to shop anytime, anywhere. That means an extra £1.8bn of consumer spending up for grabs. Retailers must act now and think about the virtual shop window, to turn this huge opportunity into an exciting reality.”

Based on a survey of over 2,000 UK consumers, carried out by retail analyst Conlumino, the study also found that 55 per cent of respondents said the amount of shopping they do on mobile devices has increased since last year.

Reacting to the news, O2 sales and service director Feilim Mackle said: 

“The universal arrival of 4G will be the catalyst for making Britain truly digital. The greatest financial gains for businesses and the economy will be through the introduction of new digital products and services, whether they be services to make shopping easier or products that facilitate new ways of working.

“But to realise the true value of universal 4G, and the benefits it can bring to economic growth, both government and business need to work together to drive the innovation needed to propel Britain forward.”