Mobile eCommerce: In-app shopping set to reach an all-time high

In-app shopping has seen significant growth over the past year, and a new study by Adjust and Sensor Tower has predicted that based on 2020 trends, ​​this year's shopping season is set to reach an all-time high.

Predictions by Adobe are also set to be confirmed. They previously signalled by the end of this year, 54% of total eCommerce sales are predicted to come from mobile.

Adjust and Sensor Tower gathered a range of statistics across a wide variety of apps, researching categories such as usage time, spending amounts, and engagement data.

Globally, installs of eCommerce apps have grown 10% so far in 2021 compared to 2020, while sessions have jumped 12%.

Average in-app session lengths are up from 10.07 minutes in 2019, to 10.42 minutes in 2020, to 10.56 minutes in 2021 so far.

There has also been an increased engagement in the connected TV advertising space, something retailers and advertisers are encouraged to explore.

May was the biggest month for revenue gathering from in-app shopping so far, which is a promising signal considering trends from 2020 when October, November, and December outperformed the previous nine months.

Shopee took the top spot when it came to the most used and most profitable app, but this may change as the Christmas season approaches and companies set to expand their markets.

The data also conveyed that the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) opt-in rate for eCommerce is sitting at an average of 17%, which is far higher than initial industry projections. Adjust predicts that consent rates will continue to rise over time as users become more educated on the value of relevant advertising.

Adjust co-founder and CEO Paul H. Müller says that the results show a significant new trend for the eCommerce sector and that businesses would be wise to utilise all the available technology to keep their customers engaged.

"Mobile has emerged as the leader in eCommerce. What's most impressive is that eCommerce apps have managed to retain the users they've acquired while continuing to grow and acquire even more new customers. It's a testament to mobile's ability to provide convenient and user-optimised experiences. Retaining loyal customers will set brands up for continued growth throughout the holiday season, into the new year," he says.

Sensor Tower head of mobiles insights Randy Nelson says that the global market expansion will allow for more innovation and growth for eCommerce companies looking to enter the mobile sector.

"Mobile commerce has finally expanded beyond the core shopping markets to become a global phenomenon, with LATAM and APAC exploding in growth. Trailblazers in the eCommerce space continue to build their user bases in well-established markets like the U.S. and China. Expect retail giants and newcomers alike to thrive on digital channels during the upcoming shopping holidays."

Sessions have seen the biggest uptick in LATAM in 2021 so far, jumping 27%, compared to 12% growth globally. Sessions rose 10% in APAC and 13% in EMEA.

The complete list of results and research findings can be found on the Adjust website.