Online retail forecasted to reach $500 billion by 2018 and one of the biggest drivers will be the frequency of online searches that shoppers make.  A recent study provides insight to what shoppers are looking for, and the retailers that can meet the demand, will be the one the captures the sales.

Internet Retailer released an article showing that 56% of online retail searches are made via smartphone or tablet, according to a study from web measurement firm Hitwise.  The firm utilized hundreds of thousands online search queries across 3.5 million smartphones and tablets between April 10th – May 7th this year by consumers based in the US, UK and Australia.  Hitwise does consider smartphones and tablets to be mobile devices.

Hitwise looked at the specific keywords that retail consumers used for their search.  The study found that 82% of them used the words “24 hours” for their searches from mobile devices.  Other top searches included keywords like “where to buy…”, which was 84%, “near me” at 79% and “hours” was used at 79% mobile.

Beyond the deals and discounts, some keywords show that shoppers also have an interest in getting their online items fast. This is why Amazon, Google, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and others all provide a Same-Day Delivery to meet the convenience and speed demand of consumers.  A Same-Day Courier like 1-800 Courier is a viable option to help retailers develop a same-day delivery solution so their sales online can thrive. Hitwise senior research and marketing analyst John Fetto discussed how shoppers use online retail searches at checkout.  He stated “Especially for traditional brick-and-mortar establishments, the smartphone has become an indispensable shopping tool providing consumers—sometimes within feet of a register—with information or offers that could seal or jeopardize a transaction”.  It is crucial for retailers to be able to have deals online, especially so sales aren’t lost at the register.

With shoppers creating so much activity online, it is essentially creating online sites to become more like stores at their fingertips.  Whatever a customer is looking for, technology has cause mobile devices to be where they can shop from anywhere and anytime.  This means retailers with the omnichannels to make seamless operations between e-retail and physical store locations, can always be available for customers to shop with them.

1-800 Courier has a national footprint and can quickly implement last-mile deliveries for any company, enabling them to adapt to today’s e-commerce.  The Seattle Courier offers nationwide same-day delivery, order fulfillment, multi-stop route service solutions, return deliveries, and more.  As online retail grows, more companies will need same-day services to bridge their physical stores with the web.

Reference: 7.26.16, www.internetretailer.com, April Berthene, 56% of online retail searches take place on mobile devices