41% of smartphone owners in the United Kingdom will consider making a Christmas purchase from their mobile devices this year, up from 20% last year, according to the latest research from the Interactive Media in Retail Group, or IMRG. The web retailing trade association based its findings on a survey of 2,000 consumers conducted in July.

The rate is even higher for tablet owners, with 71% of them open to doing some holiday shopping from those devices. IMRG says 21% of U.K. online consumers own tablets.

IMRG also found that:

• 51% of smartphone owners access the web while out shopping, with retail web sites a common destination.

• 29% of smartphone owners would use their devices while out shopping if there were better access to the Internet via Wi-Fi connections.

“Mobiles have become an integral part of the engagement process between brands and consumers, and the rollout of 4G is only going to increase the appeal and ease of accessing mobile Internet on the move” says an IMRG spokesman. “Any specific physical retail location is, in essence, also a virtual showroom for every competitor that retailer has through a mobile device.”