Businesses operating online, including those selling products to be distributed via door-to-door courier services, have been advised to focus on mobile channels as a potential source of custom.

Freelance marketing consultant Luan Wise said the explosion in smartphone use means consumers are always connected and able to access the internet, wherever they are.

She said companies must be aware of this trend and keep up with it by ensuring their marketing efforts and communications are appropriate for mobile users.

Ms Wise claimed that it is now "essential" for businesses to make some sort of investment in mobile marketing.

"If a company was to start redesigning their website now, we would actually look at mobile first and work outwards from that - rather than designing for someone using a PC or laptop and adding the mobile functionality afterwards," she explained.

One approach for companies that already have an online presence is to look at their analytics to see where their traffic is coming from.

Websites that attract high numbers of mobile visitors could benefit from focusing on loading times and ease of viewing, as these factors are important to people who use smartphones and other handheld devices to browse online, according to Ms Wise.

According to a report released by Juniper Research earlier this month, the value of remote transactions for digital and physical goods completed on mobiles is set to reach $730 billion (£465.2 billion) a year by 2017.

Tablet computers such as the iPad are expected to become increasingly popular among online shoppers and users of parcel delivery services, largely owing to their portability and ease of use compared to laptops and desktop PCs.

Figures from e-retail industry association IMRG for June 2012 show that sales via mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones enjoyed "phenomenal" growth during the month, rising by 365 per cent year on year.

Author:  Adrian Medland