More consumers shop mobile this holiday

SAN JOSE, USA: Holiday shopping went mobile this season, with eBay seeing a surge in buyers tapping their eBay iPhone app and other eBay mobile applications to find a great deal while on the go.

The number of items bought via eBay mobile apps this year was triple last year’s holiday volume. In 2009, eBay buyers and sellers are generating more than half a billion dollars of transactions via mobile, with strong momentum this holiday season.

Nearly 6 million people have eBay on their iPhone and shoppers are making 750,000 unique visits a day to eBay via mobile apps. Mobile purchases this season range from designer handbags to a $75,000 1966 Chevrolet Corvette.

"Mobile is changing the way people shop this holiday season," said Lorrie Norrington, president of eBay marketplaces. "With eBay on your iPhone, great deals are available anytime, anywhere. We see consumers taking advantage of that freedom to find great holiday gifts and deals without sitting at their computer or being stuck at the mall. eBay buyers and sellers have rapidly embraced mobile commerce this year, and this holiday season has been a mobile commerce tipping point. Shopping will never be the same again."

Dawn of mCommerce Era: OMG I just bought a boat on my iPhone LOL
According to an IDC report earlier this year, mobile Internet users will double in number by 2013 to surpass 1 billion. Here are some mobile eBay trends:

* Nearly six million people are carrying eBay around in their pocket.
* Users from more than 165 countries visited the eBay mobile Web site and iPhone application.
* 1.5 million items were bought on eBay using mobile phones worldwide this holiday.

In 2009, an item sold every 2 seconds via eBay mobile applications worldwide with luxury items a favorite of shoppers this holiday season; some recent mobile transactions in the US include:

* $19,108 for a 23-foot deck boat.
* $10,025 for 250 grams of pure gold bullion.
* $10,000 for a Boston grand piano made by Steinway.
* $3,888 for a Hermes Kelly bag.
* $770 for a Jean Paul Gaultier wool and leather coat.
* $600 for a pair of Christian Louboutin camel colored patent leather pumps.

In the US, the early adopters in mobile commerce are the Texans.