What marketers need to know about mcommerce in 5 charts

As US mcommerce sales approach nearly half of total US online sales, marketers need to adopt mobile-first strategies that improve both the shopping and checkout experience. For those looking to boost adoption for their mobile shopping apps, banner ads are the best deal, though more interactive ad formats could become popular as retailers gamify their apps.

1. Mcommerce will account for almost half of US online sales by 2027

This year, mcommerce will account for 43.2% of all US ecommerce sales, per our forecast. By 2027, that number will climb to just under 50%.

Digital shopper and buyer growth is coming from Gen Z, according to our US Ecommerce Forecast 2023 report. This means brands should focus on mobile-first strategies to reach Gen Zers and understand their ecommerce expectations.

2. Consumers view mobile shopping as “necessary”

As of December 2022, 61% of US adults believe that mobile shopping features are necessary for convenience, per Morning Consult. While not as important as delivery, free shipping, or free returns, mobile still factors into how US consumers shop online.

Brands can improve the mobile shopping experience by enhanced search capabilities (e.g., more visual elements, better ability to filter), the ability to compare products, and a seamless checkout process.

3. Adding mobile payment options could boost mcommerce adoption

This year, 150.8 million US consumers will use mobile wallets, representing 53.4% of the total population, per our forecast.

To grow mcommerce adoption, retailers should include mobile wallet options in their checkout process, focusing on the most used services. These include PayPal, Apple Pay, and Venmo.

4. Consumers are spending more time with mobile ecommerce apps

Last year, consumers worldwide spent 12% more time on mobile ecommerce apps compared with 2021, per Adjust.

In the US, the top most downloaded shopping apps of 2022 included Amazon (47 million downloads), Shein (40 million), Walmart (32 million), Fetch (23.2 million), and the Shop app (22.9 million), per Apptopia.

5. Banner ads give mobile shopping app marketers more bang for their buck

Marketers looking to advertise their mobile shopping app will get the best deal on banner ads on both Android and iOS, according to Liftoff. For Android, the most expensive ad format is interstitial, followed by playable (interactive ads that allow users to preview the app before they downloading it). For iOS, playable ads are by far the most expensive ad format.

As ecommerce apps add more gamified elements, marketers may seek out playable ads that showcase how users can interact with the app (though the high cost could be a deterrent).

This was originally featured in the Retail Daily newsletter. For more retail insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.