12:40 pm, March 5, 2012
THE number of mobile unique users on Autotrader.co.uk was up 150 per cent in January, compared to the same month last year.
Autotrader.co.uk received 25m searches by 2.2m mobile unique users in January 2012, prompting calls to dealers to ensure their websites are fully optimised for all platforms.
Despite the increase in mobile internet use, mobiles are not replacing PC or laptop access to the internet – interestingly the research suggests that mobile search is actually stimulating search on other platforms, with 78 per cent of mobile users maintaining or increasing the frequency with which they use their PC to search.
Nathan Coe, group director, Auto Trader said: ‘With more than 24m people in the UK using their mobile device to access the internet every month, the need for dealers to ensure that their website is easy to use for customers on the move is more important than ever.
‘Users will choose to search on the device that best suits where they are. So whether it be PC, mobile or tablet, usage will become even more fluid across all devices in the months to come.
‘This does mean that it’s vital for businesses to ensure they have optimised their websites for all platforms, as a poor user experience can lead buyers to visit competitor websites instead.
‘The message from consumers is clear: dealers who quickly adopt this new technology and have a website that is optimised for any device will increase the number of buyers accessing their stock.’
