Online retailer dabs.com is to begin selling mobile phones after sealing a joint venture deal with Dial-a-Phone.

According to the online retailer, the move was prompted by around 6,000 requests and searches for mobiles across its site in the space of three months.

The mobile area of the dabs.com website is accessed via a button on the homepage, which leads to a section maintained by Dial-a-Phone. While the look and feel of the section reflects the rest of the site, the actual transaction takes place directly with Dial-a-Phone.

Jonathan Wall, marketing director at dabs.com, said the boundaries between mobiles and computer devices were blurring.

"This expansion of our product portfolio was a natural progression for us. The sheer number of people searching for mobile phones on our website suggests that consumers expect to see them as part of our technology portfolio," he said in a statement.

He added that following this venture, plans are in the pipeline for a similar link-up with a leading gaming retailer.

Richard O'Quinn, marketing director at Dial-a-Phone, added in a statement: "We're confident that this joint venture will prove a huge success - the partnership has already achieved 311 sales in its first month."