Email marketing could be particularly effective for retailers that want to attract Christmas shoppers, a new report suggests.

According to CJ Affiliate’s 2017 Holiday Intelligence Report, mobile shopping accounted for 28 per cent of online holiday orders in 2016 across the UK, France and Germany.

Some 44 per cent of online orders that came via mobile were from UK-based consumers, whereas in continental Europe, people were happier to purchase from a desktop computer.

Retailers have therefore been urged to evaluate their marketing priorities so they are reaching these people in the most effective ways.

“Reaching these shoppers is a fine art,” observed Jules Bazley, Regional Vice President in Europe for CJ Affiliate.

“Email is still the most successful way of reaching them, and interestingly, we have seen a mild decline in the popularity of search advertising.”

Mr Bazley said he believes that mobile spending will only continue to grow, particularly at busy and stressful periods such as Christmas.

He went on to state that with smartphone screens and resolutions getting larger, and mobile data more common in smartphones than tablets, they are easier to use for online shopping.

“Last year I did more than half of my Christmas shopping on the train, and it’s clear that the rest of the UK is right behind me,” he added.

Mobile devices account for a third of online Christmas orders NetImperative