The holiday shopping season is on the horizon, and according to a new report by Adobe Analytics, most customers will be shopping with their mobiles.
Mobile shopping is expected to drive 53% of online sales during the 2024 holiday season.
Adobe Analytics shows that consumers have “embraced shopping for purchases that are more frequent and lower in price,” says Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe.
But Pandya anticipates they will soon start buying larger items on mobiles, too.
Basket sizes on mobile are 32% smaller than on a desktop. Pandya says it presents both a challenge and an opportunity for brands to refine mobile experiences and close the gap to drive revenue.
The report shows a massive increase in smartphone usage for online shopping. In 2021, 43% of online sales were driven by mobile devices.
But by 2023, it overtook desktop online purchases for the first time.
Consumer favorites
Customers find it easy to use their mobile devices in their pockets and more convenient to shop for groceries and personal care online.
Mobile drove a significant 68.2% of online grocery sales in July 2024. “Groceries will continue to boost mobile shopping, given its standing as a high-growth e-commerce category,” states the report.
Groceries: From January to July 2024, nearly $67 billion was spent on mobile grocery shopping, a massive 15% increase from the previous year.
Personal care: A staggering 77% of online sales came through mobile devices in July 2024.
The role of social commerce
Businesses have been noticing a growing trend of social shopping for the last few years, but it’s now gaining more popularity.
Customers are moving away from traditional online purchasing methods, with their mobile devices accompanying them most of the time.
According to Deloitte Insights, social commerce represents a potential $1.6 trillion market in 2024. Oberlo estimates it will surpass the $2 trillion mark by 2025.
The implications for the retail industry are massive, offering both challenges and opportunities for brands to adapt and thrive. Adobe’s findings highlight how crucial it is for retailers to optimize their mobile platforms to capitalize on this growing trend.
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About the author
Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
