On Boxing Day 2012, the number of consumers using a mobile device to visit a retailers site reached 30.7 per cent, according to IBMs Digital Analytics Benchmark data. Thats up from 19.8 percent on the same day in 2011.

The number of consumers making a purchase on mobile, meanwhile, increased to 24.7 per cent, up from 15.9 per cent a year earlier.

And thats all within the context of a 45 per cent growth in total online sales year-on-year, meaning that mobile sales more than doubled.

“These figures don’t come as a surprise,” said Chris Withers, UK head of Smarter Commerce at IBM. “Retailers started their promotions early this year, but shoppers have still been holding out for the best prices around and after Christmas, and going online is one way of ensuring they get these deals. “The combination of an increase in use of smartphones and tablets, better retail websites, and devices such as the iPad being top of most gift lists this year has created a perfect storm of factors for healthy Boxing Day online trading. Retailers now need to ensure they keep on providing the best customer service possible across all of the places their customers shop.” 

The iPad generated more traffic than any other mobile device, making up 15.8 per cent of online shopping by itself – an increase of 109 per cent over 2011. By comparison, the iPhone made up 8.6 per cent of sales, and all Android devices added up to 6.2 per cent.