eBay has revealed that sales of tablet computers and accessories on its UK site have increased ten-fold over the past year, during which time, sales of tablets on eBay.co.uk have overtaken traditional desktop PCs. In the UK, a tablet computer is sold via eBay roughly every three minutes.

The popularity of tablets is contributing to significant growth in mobile sales, says eBay, as consumers increasingly want to shop on the move or in a more laid-back style in the home. Mobile continues to be the fastest growing part of eBay’s business, with global mobile sales expected to double again in 2011 to over $4bn. In May 2011, sales of tablets accounted for around 15 per cent of computers sold on eBay.co.uk, compared to around 3 per cent at the same time last year. Laptops and netbooks accounted for around 70 per cent of computer sales last month on eBay in the UK, compared to almost 80 per cent in May 2010.
“People shop differently on mobile and tablets versus traditional PCs: they spend more money, do more browsing and purchase across a wider variety of products,” says eBay UK retail director, Angus McCarey. “iPad shoppers on eBay spend approximately 40 per cent more than an average iPhone user, and we expect to see similar trends with other tablet users.”

The findings of a recent eBay study carried out by Verdict found that mobile shopping could deliver a £4.5bn boost to Britain’s economy by 2016, and a further £13bn by 2021. The research also revealed that mCommerce is on the verge of a potential four-fold increase over the next five years, as consumers become more comfortable with shopping via smartphones and tablet computers.