Shopping app usage hits new record

The smartphone has long replaced the computer – both desktop and laptop – as the number one device for online shopping in most industrialized countries. According to the Statista Global Consumer Survey content special on eCommerce, 69% of online shoppers in the U.S. used their smartphones to make online purchases in 2021, as compared to only 47% who used a laptop and 32% who used a desktop PC. In other countries, for example Germany, the UK or China, the percentages are comparable. The differences are greater when taking a closer look at the single ways of mobile shopping. Smartphones (and other mobile devices) can be used for online shopping in the “classic” way, via an internet browser, or by using dedicated shopping apps. In the U.S., for example, shopping apps are still comparably unpopular, with only 29% stating that they shop via apps. In China, 67% of mobile shoppers make purchases via shopping apps. Still, the usage of shopping apps is increasing on a global level, as the State of Mobile 2023 report published by data.ai shows:

In 2022, the world saw a new record when it comes to the total time spent in online shopping apps: Consumers around the world spent a total of 109 billion hours in mobile shopping apps in 2022. This corresponds to an increase of 10% compared to 2021. However, this also means that there is a general slowdown in growth in the total global time consumers spend in shopping apps per year. Year-on-year growth in 2020 had still amounted to 32%. Still, apps are a trend with growing importance also in the eyes of leading fashion retailers. Vijay Ram, Head of Technology at the British fashion brand Asos, for example, is sure that a user-friendly shopping app is a critical part in the customers shopping experience. According to him, the brand is continuously improving their app customer experience to distinguish themselves from competitors and find a long-term competitive advantage in the market. According to the data.ai State of Mobile 2023 report, the top growth markets for mobile shopping in general and the usage of mobile apps in particular were emerging markets in Asia-Pacific like India or Indonesia, or also in Latin America like Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina.

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March 2023