This report covers the US mobile retailing market in detail. Providing data-backed analysis of how consumers shop on their smartphone or tablet devices, this report will enable your strategic growth through powerful market insights.
Below, we’ve summarized the core areas analyzed and provided hand-selected insights from the full document.
Core Areas Analyzed
- Key economic factors impacting consumers’ mobile shopping behaviors.
- How consumers use and plan to use their mobile devices to shop and how frequently.
- Motivations and barriers to shopping on mobile devices.
- How consumers use mobile apps for shopping.
- The role of mobile devices while in-store.
- Attitudes toward shopping on mobile devices.
US Mobile Retailing Market Drivers
US mobile retail sales are projected to account for approximately 7% of all US retail sales and almost half of total US e-commerce sales in 2024. Consumers are highly exposed to their mobile devices, checking their phones approximately 144 times per day and spending hours on them daily. This opens up significant opportunities for brands to connect with shoppers through methods like text messages, push notifications, and geo-targeting.
Mobile Retail Consumer Behavior
More than two-thirds of consumers made half or more of their online purchases on mobile devices, and a similar number plan to shop on their mobile devices more frequently in the future. Convenience is a primary reason for this trend, as consumers shop from their homes. Yet, mobile retailing is not limited to online shopping but is also an integral part of the in-store experience, with consumers using their devices for product research, price comparisons, and accessing digital coupons.
Opportunity for E-Commerce Brands
As mobile retailing continues to grow, it’s essential for brands to optimize their mobile websites and apps to cater to consumers’ needs. This includes implementing features like QR codes for connecting the physical and digital shopping environments, offering mobile-specific deals, and creating simplified experiences for older generations.
For a complete review of opportunities in the mobile retailing market, buy the full report. You may also be interested in our expansive retail market research.
Expert Analysis
Leading retail and e-commerce analyst Katie Hansen delivers expert industry insights with this in-depth report.
Mobile retailing is a growing, vital part of retail. Bridging the gap between physical and digital worlds, it adds convenience and elevates the shopping experience.
Katie Hansen
Senior Analyst, Retail & eCommerce
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Consumer trends: key takeaways
- Market predictions
- Opportunities
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Consumer fast facts (cont.)
- Mobile usage
- Mobile retailing is on the rise
- A simplified experience will assist older generations using mobile commerce options
- Graph 1: mobile shopping frequency, by gender and generation, 2023
- Mobile devices are sometimes the only key to the internet for multicultural consumers
- Graph 2: mobile shopping frequency, by race and Hispanic ethnicity, 2023
- Brands should consider multilingual content for mobile users
- The majority of consumers are at home when shopping on mobile
- Graph 3: location when shopping on mobile, 2023
- DoorDash incorporates QR codes to streamline the ordering process
- Krispy Kreme UK taps into out-of-home, QR codes to direct consumers to stores
- Return to office mandates present opportunities to capture captive audiences on public transportation
- Graph 4: location when shopping on mobile, by work from home status, 2023
- Parents are in an “always shopping” state of mind
- Graph 5: location when shopping on mobile, by parental status and gender, 2023
- Mobile shopping behaviors
- Consumers will continue to incorporate mobile devices into their shopping journeys
- Graph 6: mobile shopping behaviors, 2023
- Younger generations are using their mobile devices for more than purchasing
- Graph 7: mobile shopping behaviors, by generation and gender, 2023
- Mobile devices will continue to bridge the online and in-store experience, especially for younger generations
- Products consumers are comfortable shopping for on mobile
- Mobile devices will continue to aid in the purchase of products online across categories
- Graph 8: products comfortable purchasing on mobile devices, 2023
- Women across generations are more open to purchasing a variety of items on their mobile devices
- Graph 9: products comfortable purchasing on mobile devices, by gender and generation, 2023
- Opportunities abound for mobile engagement across categories
- Brands leverage customization, AR and shoppable recipes in mobile apps to inspire consumers
- Motivations to shop on mobile devices
- Consumers across generations see various convenience benefits for shopping on mobile
- Graph 10: motivations to shop on mobile device, by generation, 2023
- Spotlight on: Social Commerce
- For some lower-income consumers, mobile use is driven out of necessity
- Graph 11: motivations to shop on mobile devices, by household income, 2023
- Barriers to shopping on mobile devices
- Consumers remain vigilant about privacy and data protection
- Graph 12: barriers to shopping on mobile device, by generation, 2023
- Older consumers need mobile sites and apps to adapt to their needs
- Food and drink brands have an opportunity to improve their mobile sites
- Graph 13: barriers to shopping on mobile devices, by products comfortable purchasing on mobile devices, 2023
- All about apps
- Apps can be helpful when shopping, so long as consumers feel secure
- Graph 14: attitudes toward mobile devices – apps, 2023
- Consumers have apps across categories, especially those they shop the most often
- Graph 15: app categories, 2023
- Footwear brands highlight exclusivity and personalization on their apps
- Apps have a place on mobile devices of consumers across generations
- Graph 16: number of shopping apps on mobile devices, by generation, 2023
- Parents + shopping apps = BFFs
- Graph 17: number of shopping apps on mobile devices, by parental status and gender, 2023
- Deals can lead to downloads and rewards can keep consumers engaged with apps
- Graph 18: reasons to use shopping apps, 2023
- Across categories consumers seek out value from their app experiences
- Graph 19: reasons to use shopping apps, by app category on mobile device, 2023
- Brands can educate consumers on app benefits
- Apps need to have various functions to reach the needs across generations
- Apps need to have various functions to reach the needs across generations (cont)
- Graph 20: reasons to use shopping apps, by gender and generation, 2023
- Help dads connect with other parents to learn about products they want to purchase
- Graph 21: reasons to use shopping apps, by parental status and gender, 2023
- The most desired app features equate to convenience for consumers
- Graph 22: desired app features, 2023
- Education of app features is key across generations
- Graph 23: desired app features, by generation, 2023
- Role of mobile in-store
- Mobile devices help to elevate the in-store shopping experience
- Graph 24: attitudes toward mobile devices – in-store experience, 2023
- Younger consumers see the benefits of using their mobile device in-store
- Graph 25: attitudes toward mobile devices – in-store experience – any agree, by gender and age, 2023
- Mobile can provide savings, education and a more personal experience in-store
- Graph 26: role of mobile devices in-store, 2023
- Brands leverage signage in-store to offer additional information
- Women use their mobile devices to make the most on their in-store journey; men are seeking out convenience
- Graph 27: role of mobile devices in-store, by gender, 2023
- Target touts ability to find additional information via barcodes in-store
- Attitudes toward shopping on mobile devices
- Gen Z finds an improved mobile experience
- Graph 28: attitudes toward mobile devices – general, by generation, 2023
- Brands have an opportunity to improve the mobile experience for Black consumers
- Graph 29: attitudes toward mobile devices – general attitudes, by race and Hispanic ethnicity, 2023
- Mobile devices offer a convenient, streamlined experience for parents
- Graph 30: attitudes toward mobile devices – general attitudes, by parental status and gender, 2023
- Shopping on mobile can lead to rabbit-hole spending for younger consumers
- Graph 31: attitudes toward mobile devices – impulse and emotion, by generation, 2023
- Black and Asian consumers have more control over their shopping impulses
- Graph 32: attitudes toward mobile devices – impulses and emotions, by race and Hispanic ethnicity, 2023
- Dads are the more impulsive shopper on their mobile device
- Graph 33: attitudes toward mobile devices – impulses and emotions, by parental status and gender, 2023
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Competitive Strategies
- Competitive strategies and market opportunities
- Super apps remain an unrealized opportunity in the US
- Klarna continues to work on its super app approach
- Encourage the use of mobile devices in-store to enhance the overall shopping experience
- Social commerce goes hand-in-hand with mobile retailing
- Utilize additional media to connect with consumers via mobile
- Miller Lite leverages QR codes on t-shirts to promote free beer
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The Market
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Mobile commerce sales will continue to encompass a greater portion of retail, ecommerce sales
- An improving economy should lead to increased consumer spending
- Consumer prices rose by 3.1% in January, down from 3.4% in December
- Graph 34: headline CPI, core CPI, and shelter CPI, 2021-24
- Consumers are the most upbeat they have been in over two years
- Graph 35: consumer sentiment index, 2021-24
- Unemployment continues to sit near historic lows
- Graph 36: unemployment rate, 2019-23
- Increased speeds and AI can improve the mobile experience
- Growing younger generations will impact the need for mobile commerce operations
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Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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