Asia sets the trends
While Europe and the US have been talking about a 'mobile first' strategy in recent years, Asia is already firmly in 'mobile only' territory — and there's nothing to suggest the West won't follow.
By 2015, consumers in China were already making purchases via mobile more often than on desktop. A year later that figure exceeded 70%, and today the overwhelming majority of e-commerce transactions in China originate from mobile devices.
Japanese app and gaming users — a country considered the strongest player in this space — represent almost half of all smartphone owners and are willing to spend extraordinary amounts on developing their 'gaming wallet'. By 2018, the average Japanese user was spending $371 on mobile games alone, compared to $77 in the US a year later.
From social apps to shopping apps
Regardless of market maturity, the most-installed app rankings are dominated by communication tools (Messenger, WhatsApp) and social platforms (Instagram, TikTok, SHAREit). Close behind are apps that bring media and entertainment to mobile (Netflix, Spotify) and photo/video editing tools.
Practical utility and frequency of use are the most important factors motivating users to switch from a website to an app. As a result, 'commercial' apps — through which users can order, book, or hunt down a deal — are gaining ground rapidly. In the US ranking of fastest-growing app downloads, Walmart appeared at number 7, and the entire Shopping category ranked 6th among top iOS install categories.
Shopping isn't the only high-growth category. According to Comscore statistics published in 2018 — showing average growth across eight markets in selected app categories — personal finance grew the fastest. E-banking ranked third, reflecting the digital banking revolution currently underway. Between those two sat apparel, with retail food in fourth place. Social media showed the lowest growth, reflecting the enormous reach this category already has.
The surge in in-app purchases
In the US, according to data from mobile commerce optimisation platform Button, the number of orders through mobile apps grew by an average of 38% per user year-on-year. Even more striking was install growth: 106% more app downloads in 2019 compared to 2018, with conversion rates up 12%.
Apps have overtaken mobile websites as the preferred shopping channel — both in terms of conversion rates (86% higher) and orders per customer (27% higher). This new group of consumers is also willing to spend significantly more per order online: an average of $75 per order versus $41 among existing active e-commerce shoppers.
Based on this hard data, Michael Jaconi, co-founder and CEO of Button, is convinced we are at the beginning of the mobile e-commerce era.
Will European consumers make the same shift?
In Europe, the same trends are emerging — with a slight delay. The largest online retailers are already following shifts in user behaviour and centering their strategies around mobile. Zalando, which has heavily promoted its mobile app in recent years, reports that the majority of its transactions now come through that channel. In Germany, over 70% of adults have made a purchase via smartphone. Polish brand CCC recently reported that 30% of their e-commerce transactions originate from their mobile app.
If these trends continue, Europe will be talking about a mobile-only market within a few years. E-commerce is increasingly preparing to accept this reality — more and more retailers are exploring, building, launching, or already scaling their mobile app presence.
What this means for advertisers
At GrowthLift, we see this shift playing out directly with our partners. Mobile performance marketing has its own rules — it requires adapted communication, tailored creative, and a publisher network that converts effectively to quality app installs and in-app actions.
If you're thinking through how to position your mobile strategy — whether to scale web-based sales, invest in an app, or both — our team is always happy to help you map out the right approach.
