Mobile and Tablet Online Purchases to Reach $293 Billion by 2018

Online purchases made with mobile phones and tablet sales will grow by more than $170 billion over the next four years, according to research released this week by Forrester. By the end of this year mobile and tablet commerce will reach $114 billion, and will then increase to $293 billion by 2018, Forrester predicted.

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Overall e-commerce will grow to $414 billion by 2018, making up 11% of all retail sales, the report forecasted, with online retail sales hitting $294 billion this year.

Tablets will take on an increasingly large role in consumers’ online activity and shopping, the report also predicted. Purchases made on tablets will total $219 billion out of the $293 billion in purchases made on mobile devices in 2018, according to the research, with mobile phone purchases only accounting for $74 billion in purchases. Forrester said that it expects the percentage of tablet buyers to top the percentage of smartphone buyers by 2018 because tablets provide a better form factor with their increased screen size.

Jonathan Camhi has been an associate editor with Bank Systems & Technology since 2012. He previously worked as a freelance journalist in New York City covering politics, health and immigration, and has a master's degree from the City University of New York's Graduate School ... View Full Bio