• by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, August 5, 2015

The idea that a large number of consumers don’t use apps for shopping has always intrigued me.

Many retailers’ apps offer a far superior shopping experience than mobile websites, but they don’t always win out.

Study after study shows that most mobile shoppers turn to mobile sites ahead of retailer apps for commerce.

However, a percentage of shoppers do use retailer apps and based on a study by a data analytics firm, those with a retailer’s app visit that store more.

Though not a national study, the data collected and analyzed by Wefi included 49 stores in the Los Angeles area and included Walmart, Macy’s, Sears, Target, Nordstrom, Kohl’s and Costco.

The analysis showed that a consumer with the retailer’s app visit that brand’s store one more time a month than those without the app.

Viewed another way, retailer app users make 12 more trips to the store a year than those not using the app.

Another plus on the app side is that those with a retailer’s app spend an average of seven more minutes during each store visit compared to those without the app.

In the case of Macy’s, app users stayed 29% longer than those not using the app, for about a 50-minute store visit. Walmart app users stayed in the store for 48 minutes, compared to 40 minutes for those not using the app.

One of the key findings is that those with the retailer app tend to use it in the store. Here’s a look at how many used the app while in the store:

• 72% -- Target
• 53% -- Kohl’s
• 37% -- Sears

If this data is a reflection nationally, the payback for retailer investment in apps is somewhat of a no brainer.