Phenomenal growth in retail searches on tablets at the end of last year show that "online retail really came of age this Christmas".
The British Retail Consortium-Google Online Retail Monitor for the fourth quarter of 2012 reveals that search volumes on tablet devices outpaced those on any other device, increasing 238% year-on-year compared with growth on smartphone devices of 76%.

Total retail search volumes growth was highest in the homewares, footwear, DIY/gardening and furniture/floorcoverings sectors: in the DIY/gardening sector specifically, tablet search volumes were up 242% while smartphone search volumes were up 88%.

Retail searches peaked on Boxing Day, with more than twice the volume of searches compared with Christmas Eve. And total search volumes from overseas consumers rose by 25% in Q4 compared with the previous year.

Commenting on the figures, BRC director general Helen Dickinson said: "This strong growth shows how online retail really came of age this Christmas. It's playing an increasingly significant role at every stage of the customer journey, especially when researching items and comparing prices both at home and on the move.

"Retailers continue to invest in their online offer, and more and more of us are reaping the resulting benefits of more flexible delivery options, user-friendly websites and improved accessibility and security.

"Much of this growth is driven by the continuing surge in smartphone and tablet ownership. Tablet searches outpaced those on any other device and were particularly widespread on Boxing Day when many used them to get a head start on the sales."

And she added that the UK's position "at the forefront of international e-commerce" was underlined by the growth in searches from overseas to UK retailers' sites.