Christmas shopping is set to shift towards mobile, according to a study. 32 per cent of 18-34-year-olds plan to use their mobile to buy Christmas presents this year, according to a survey by marketing community site UTalkMarketing and online survey platform Toluna.

The survey questioned 1,300 UK consumers, and found that, while young adults are embracing mobile shopping the most, older age groups are also making an increasing number of purchases via their mobile - 14 per cent of 35-54-year-olds, and 9 per cent of over 55s also plan to make Christmas purchases this year using their mobile.

iPhone users are the most likely to make a Christmas purchase via their device, according to the survey. 42 per cent of those that say they will make a Christmas purchase via mobile will do so using an iPhone. 

31 per cent of those that say they will make a Christmas purchase via their mobile will use a BlackBerry and a further 27 per cent will do so via an Android device.

Apps are the retail channels of choice for the survey's respondents, though - 88 per cent of mobile shoppers will only make a purchase this Christmas if their retailer of choice has a transactional app. Only 12 per cent of mobile shoppers will make a purchase directly from a retailer's mobile-optimised website. 

"The results of this survey are a clear indication that retailers cannot ignore the mobile-commerce wave. They need to adapt to and embrace the changing ways consumers now shop," says Melanie McKinney, UTalkMarketing's publisher.

"The fact that a third of young adults are planning to buy their Christmas gifts via their mobile device is proof that the year of mobile-commerce is finally upon us. The fact that most mobile shoppers will do so directly via a retailer's app is also strong proof that brands wishing to contend in the mobile-commerce arena must do more than simply provide a mobile optimised website."