Australians, like many in world, are using mobile phones to do more than just call. Surfing the net, sending emails, playing games, social media and shopping are just some of the activities undertaken by mobile users every day.
In fact, over in US, the number of online shopping purchases completed via mobile phones grew 80% year on year during the country's Cyber Monday sales event. Mobile purchases now account for 18.3% of online sales.
Here in Australia we've already witnessed many companies (and people for that matter) struggle to adapt to the rise of the internet and mobile technologies. Retail fashion stores, manufacturing and many other businesses have been forced to change their business model completely. The proliferation of cloud-computing makes it easier for your phone to access complex software applications which would usually require a connection to fixed internet lines or networks.
We've seen companies like Optus – owned by Singapore Telecommunications (ASX: SGT) – and Telstra (ASX: TLS) dominate the mobile market but they're not the only companies which stand to gain from this long-term trend.
In fact, if the recent US shopping frenzy has taught us anything, it is that companies who offer great online shopping experiences are likely to be rewarded with higher sales. One example is Myer (ASX: MYR), which recently offered a very poor online shopping experience at a time when many foreign players were offering free delivery and more competitive prices.
Now, it's a different story. It, like many retailers such as JB Hi-Fi (ASX: JBH) and Harvey Norman (ASX: HVN), has a great online presence and is being rewarded with increased sales. In the first quarter of the current financial year, Myer reported more than double the amount of online sales.
Foolish takeaway
Technology and telecommunications companies aren't the only ones who stand to benefit from increased online shopping and web browsing. A famous investing quote, which came from fund manager Peter Lynch, goes as follows: "During the Gold Rush, most would-be miners lost money, but people who sold them picks, shovels, tents, and blue-jeans (Levi Strauss) made a nice profit." As investors it's important we recognise the subtle, long term trends being played out right before our eyes and position ourselves to benefit.
