Retailers urged to optimize for mobile in time for Christmas

Online retailers have been told that it is not too late to take advantage of the growing mobile market this festive season.

Search engine giant Google says that the number of shopping queries coming direct from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets is increasing all the time.

The company therefore insists that the best-performing retail websites in the build-up to the holiday season are mobile-optimized.

Google recently helped Timberland optimize its site for mobile, and the company's director of global ecommerce Chris Hardisty explained that the first priority had to be making the best customer experience possible.

He continued: "Shoppers today expect fast and relevant results especially on mobile, where speed and interactivity matter most.

"Since we launched our mobile-optimized website, we have seen mobile sales grow 20 times faster than our desktop site sales."

Mobile consultant Rob Thurner recently claimed that use of smartphones and tablets for shopping is "changing the game" for retailers.

Posted by Richard Jones