Consumers shopping for furniture online are increasingly using smart phones and tablets to find products. iPads now account for 5 percent of total volume and smart phones nearly 3 percent of all shoppers using the Ekornes UK web site, compared to a 1 percent share for each a year ago. And the trend is similar in nearly all markets in Europe, the Americas and Asia where mobile devices now represent more than 10 percent of all visits.

The trend presents retailers and manufacturers with new challenges in web design and functionality as consumers leave the old stationary PCs behind. Flash for iPads and iPhones and web forms used to collect consumer information are challenges to users that want information quickly, but do not want to be bothered with filling in forms or creating accounts to be able to shop.

Shopping applications are also another avenue consumers explore to ease the shopping process, but a brief survey of major retailers show that few offer the consumer a true alternative to the traditional web site.