Retailers have been warned against ignoring the digital shopping revolution as mobile sales in Scotland push towards the £1 billion barrier.
Figures from Barclays show smartphones and tablets accounted for sales worth £732 million in Scotland last year.
That figure is rising rapidly and the bank is now predicting that sales derived from mobile technology will soar by more than 200% to in excess of £2.4bn by 2019.
The huge increase in mobile revenues sits against predictions of total retail growth of 8.1% to £351bn over the next five years.
The Barclays study found 45% of Scots use mobile devices to browse for and buy products.
A similar number used mobile tech to check or compare prices while 37% had used such devices to research potential purchases.
More than a quarter of respondents had bought clothes using a smartphone or tablet while music and books were also major online purchasing fodder.
Of the respondents, more than a third said they expected to increase their mobile purchasing habits over the next couple of years.
“The size of the retail opportunity is clear for all to see,” Euan Murray of Barclays Corporate Banking in Scotland said.
“Consumers are increasingly time poor and looking to multi-task wherever possible mobile shopping gives them the freedom to do this when they want and where they want.
“The question every retailer should be asking themselves is what they are doing to not only satisfy today’s consumer but, also tomorrow’s.”
When asked about future strategies, less than a third of retailers surveyed said they had a clear plan of action when it came to future investment in mobile.
Of those who did, developing a mobile website followed by a mobile app and offering mobile payment options were priorities.
Mr Murray said retailers had no option but to invest in their online offering although he insisted the high street still had a major role to play.
“There is also a lingering notion that mobile shopping is bad for store retailing,” Mr Murray said.
“The physical high street store still has a fundamental role to play and the development of hybrids such as click and collect has demonstrated that stores can be supported rather than hindered by the growth of digital commerce.
“A simple move would be to enhance wi-fi provision in-store 56% of Scottish consumers believe that all shops should offer free wi-fi.
“Inevitably practices such as ‘showrooming’ lead to some sales shifting online but, with three quarters of Scottish consumers using their mobile devices whilst out and about, ignoring this trend would be a missed opportunity.”