• by Ray Schultz , November 4, 2021

Marketers who have not designed their emails for mobile may be in for trouble this holiday season. 

In the U.S, 44% of consumers plan to shop by mobile. And 28% will use their phones to access the retailer’s app. And globally, 47% expect to do three-quarters or their marketing by smartphone and 48% online, according to a study by Airship in partnership with Sapio Research. 

Mobile apps are growing in popularity, with 42% of Gen Z and 46% of millennials using them more than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as 38% of Gen X and 27% of Boomers. 

In contrast, 14% of Gen Zers, 12% of millennials, 10% of Gen Xers and 8% of Boomers are using less than before.  

Meanwhile, the likelihood of using a retailer’s app in-store ranks only a few percentage points behind visiting a retailer’s website, the study reports.   

“Consumers are clearly developing a preference for mobile apps as the primary destination to save them time and streamline their shopping experiences from in-store wayfinding to click-and-collect and curbside pickup,” states Brett Caine, CEO and president, Airship. 

When shopping in-store, millennials lead in all of these activities: 

• Visit the retailer’s website — 77%
• Use the retailers app — 75%
• Use loyalty cards or coupons stored on your phone — 82%
• Scan QR code or smart shelf tags for more information, special incentives or to join loyalty/text club — 58%
• Compare prices (e.g., via Google, Amazon, etc.) — 80%
• Read user reviews — 75%
• Buy online and pick up in store, click & collect or curbside — 75%
• Pay contactlessly at the point of sale/checkout (Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Samsung Pay, PayPal, etc.) — 73% 

This is an opportunity to shoot out an email to offer a discount promotion or an in-store event or treat. 

Airship and Sapio Research surveyed more than 9,143  consumers across the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Australia, Singapore and India.