Google , Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest , are trying to bridge the gap between mobile browsing and desktop purchasing with a simple " buy " button , with technology companies acting as middlemen between mobile shoppers and retailers . Many consumers find making online purchases from a mobile cumbersome , preferring to make the purchase from a desktop or a laptop . “In mobile, it’s mobile versus desktop, and if you want to drive transactions, you have to make it simpler than a desktop,” Mr. Epstein said. Mobile phones are estimated to account for about half the time Americans spend online this year , but only about one - third of retail e - commerce sales , according to eMarketer . com recently rolled out ad formats such as banner ads that allow people to book directly inside the ad , with a buy button coming later this year .
Google , Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest , are trying to bridge the gap between mobile browsing and desktop purchasing with a simple " buy " button , with technology companies acting as middlemen between mobile shoppers and retailers . Many consumers find making online purchases from a mobile cumbersome , preferring to make the purchase from a desktop or a laptop . Mobile phones are estimated to account for about half the time Americans spend online this year , but only about one - third of retail e - commerce sales , according to eMarketer . com recently rolled out ad formats such as banner ads that allow people to book directly inside the ad , with a buy button coming later this year .