Commentary

The Fit of Apps & Websites in Mobile Shopping

The split between commerce through apps vs. reaching websites from mobile devices is likely to be around for some time.

While app usage generally dominates smartphone activity across the board in most studies, for a number of obvious reasons, a lot of commerce from traditional retailers is coming from their websites accessed by a mobile phone.

For overall retail, research often shows apps lead the way, though the stats may be somewhat misleading since much of the volume of retail sales come from online-only sellers.

For example, the majority (52%) of mobile shoppers on eBay accessed the site via the app.

However, mobile websites seem to be leading the rest of the mobile commerce activity, according to a recent study.

In a sample of 1,300 people shopping at 13 U.K. retailers, mobile website visits far overshadowed those who use the retailers’ app, according to the study by ICM Research.

For example, 22% of mobile visitors to Tesco came via the app compared to 56% from the mobile website and for John Lewis it was 11% via the app compared to 59% form the mobile website.

The twist is that actual sales are more likely to take place via the app than by a mobile website, according to the study.

This matters to companies like eBay, since 40% of new customers come via mobile and mobile-enabled sales hit $22 billion last year, according to ICM.

Though this is only one study in one market, retailers everywhere are facing the same kind of dynamics.

Though their apps may be the intended and desired way for retailers to interact with mobile shoppers, the merchants can’t force their customers to go that route.

Despite promotions and incentives to download their apps, retailers face consumers who decide on how, when and where they want to use their smartphones to shop.

The consumer is in the mobile commerce driver’s seat.

4 comments about "The Fit of Apps & Websites in Mobile Shopping".
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  1. Grant Bergman from SurveyConcierge.com • GrantBergman.com, May 23, 2014 at 2:52 p.m.

    Aren't tablets – still on a rapid adoption curve compared to smartphones – having a big impact on these dynamics? Generally I prefer using my tablet's browser and avoid dedicated retailer apps, even those I've already installed. The reverse is true with my smartphone. And easily 95% of my mobile shopping is done on the tablet.

  2. Misty Airhead from AB Mobile Apps, May 23, 2014 at 3:05 p.m.

    It is interesting that more sales are made from the app customers than the mobile website. It will be interesting to see how deep linking will increase app usage and hopefully increase app purchases.
    Sincerely
    Misty
    www.ABMobileApps.com

  3. Chuck Martin from Chuck Martin, May 23, 2014 at 3:48 p.m.

    Yes, Grant, and purchase transactions on tablets are higher than those on smartphones, which has been documents by numerous studies.

  4. Chuck Martin from Chuck Martin, May 23, 2014 at 3:51 p.m.

    Good point, Misty, though it is generally easier via the app due to the data that can be auto-recalled.

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