Key Takeaways
- Mobile Dominance: Mobile commerce now holds 73% of the global ecommerce market share.
- Consumer Behavior Shift: 79% of mobile users have made online purchases recently.
- Importance of Mobile Apps: Mobile apps convert 157% more than mobile websites.
- Smartphone Sales Surge: Smartphones are leading the charge in mobile commerce sales.
- Tablet Sales Decline: Tablet sales as a percentage of mobile commerce are decreasing.
1. Shopping via Mobile Apps
It’s no secret that consumers are using their mobile devices to buy online. We’ve already discussed how m-commerce is dominating the global ecommerce market share. But the way people are using those devices to shop is changing. 57% of US consumers used a mobile retail app to learn more about a product. Rather than using an Internet browser, more than half of US shoppers went straight for a mobile app to accommodate their shopping needs. This is a game-changer for Shopify store owners. Yes, you obviously need to have a mobile-friendly website. But a mobile-optimized ecommerce site isn’t enough to have success in this space anymore. 2025 will become the year of mobile shopping apps. For starters, 85% of consumers prefer mobile apps to mobile websites. So by building an app for your Shopify store, you’re already giving the customer what they want. But it doesn’t stop there. Mobile shopping apps actually convert at a higher rate than mobile websites.
That’s right; a mobile app converts 157% more than a mobile web session.
Think about that figure in dollars. How much more money would your ecommerce business make if a 157% higher conversion rate?
Shopify owners have recognized this trend, and are adapting accordingly. Everyone has identified the importance of targeting mobile users, so they’re building apps for their ecommerce sites.
Apps are the future of m-commerce growth. To stay competitive, you need to have an app in 2025. Creating one now puts you on the fringe of the early adopter category. But if you wait too long to make this decision, you’ll quickly fall behind the competition.
2. Sales From Smartphones and Tablets
With mobile shopping on the rise, it’s no surprise that sales from smartphones will dominate 2025. Consumers are doing more than just browsing via apps; they’re buying. The average order value from a mobile app is $102 compared to $92 from a mobile website.| Device | Sales Volume (2024) |
|---|---|
| Smartphones | $418.9 billion |
| Tablets | $69.1 billion |
- 2019 — 18.2%
- 2020 — 16.9%
- 2021 — 15.9%
- 2022 — 14.8%
- 2023 — 14.1%
3. One-Click Ordering
The shift to shopping from mobile apps will ease the checkout process in 2025. Placing an order online has historically required quite a bit of information from the consumer. Think about what you need to process transactions on your ecommerce store.- Customer name
- Credit card number
- Credit card expiration
- Card verification number
- Shipping address
- Billing address
- Email address
That’s one of the reasons why shopping cart abandonment rates are so high from mobile websites. 97% of mobile site shopping carts ar
e can use augmented reality to showcase what a product would look like in a customer’s home. This makes it possible for people to choose a coAR for online shopping is much easier than the alternative. Without these mobile commerce apps, customers are forced to buy with trial and error, which is never ideal. The last thing someone wants to do is buy a couch or a table online, only to discover that it doesn’t properly fit in their living room or kitchen.
| Aspect | AR Shopping | Traditional Online Shopping |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Much easier | Trial and error |
| Risk of Misfit | Reduced | Higher |
It’s estimated that $1.6 billion of that market will be used for retail purposes. Mobile commerce definitely falls into this category.
I understand that this is just a fraction of the expected market for AR and VR in the next five years. But to get there, we need to start somewhere.
I believe that 2025 will be a defining year for AR and VR mobile commerce trends. The potential applications of this technology can penetrate a wide range of industries.
For example, let’s say you sell clothing on your ecommerce website. With a retail mobile app, you can use AR to measure customers and recommend the perfect fit. You could even customize orders based on a person’s exact dimensions. Think of it as a virtual tailor.
We’re going to see more of this out of the box creativity for AR and VR in 2025.
8. Omnichannel Mobile Shoppers
In simple terms, omnichannel retail is the practice of selling products through multiple channels. An ecommerce website, mobile app, and physical store would all qualify as different mediums here. When was the last time you bought something online by impulse? More often than not, you probably had an idea of what you wanted to buy ahead of time. Ecommerce store owners need to recognize that buyers are obtaining information from a wide range of different sources before they buy. If you have a physical retail location, that in-store experience can change the way people buy online. 73% of consumers shop using multiple channels. 75% of people expect those experiences to be consistent across each channel. Furthermore, 73% of people are willing to switch brands if they aren’t getting a consistent omnichannel experience from one company. For those of you with a physical retail presence in addition to an online store, you cannot treat those customers differently. According to Shopify, more than eight out of ten customers consult their smartphones to make in-store purchases.
So how can you prepare for omnichannel mobile shoppers?
Here’s an example. If you have an ecommerce mobile app, you can trigger a push notification when an app user enters one of your retail locations. The discount or promotion can give that person an extra incentive to buy. There’s a good chance that they’ll be consulting their phone anyway, so this provides the customer with even more motivation to convert.
You can take that one step further and give the user a personalized promotion or recommendation based on their browsing behavior.
Let’s say they recently researched a specific product on your m-commerce app. The next day, the customer walks into a retail store. You can trigger a discount for that exact product to provide a smooth omnichannel shopping experience.
9. Mobile Fraud
Unfortunately, cybercrime has become a real concern for everyone today. Consumers are hesitant to provide personal information to third parties that don’t have an established reputation as a brand that is trustworthy. This can be a problem for smaller boutique ecommerce shops. If you’re selling products similar to well-established brands, a customer might feel more comfortable buying from a name that they recognize. That’s why it’s crucial for every ecommerce business to prevent fraud on every channel, including mobile devices. 65% of fraudulent transactions come from mobile devices. This is up from 39% back in 2015. With mobile usage trending upward over the years, it makes sense that mobile fraud would follow suit and increase as well. While no person or business is ever 100% immune from fraud, there are definitely steps you can take to prevent it. Creating an ecommerce mobile app for your Shopify store is the first step. Apps are less susceptible to phishing scams and other common attacks that occur from mobile web browsers. By nature, the anatomy of an app is more secure as well. Customers won’t have to manually enter their payment information for each transaction, as we discussed earlier. An app can safely store all customer and payment data to protect it from a possible breach. Apps can set up security features like two-factor authentication as an added layer of protection. As mobile fraud continues to rise, consumers will be looking for the most secure way to shop online. A mobile app is much more secure than a mobile browser.10. Mobile Payments
Over the past few years, mobile wallets have been increasing in popularity. This holds true for both online and in-store purchases. Consumers are using mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Android Pay to checkout when shopping from a mobile retail app. It’s a quick, safe, and secure way for them to shop. They also use these wallets at participating in brick-and-mortar locations with touchless pay capabilities. Wearables, like Apple Watch, can even be used to facilitate mobile wallet payments. It’s not quite the new norm or standard in transactions, but we’re definitely heading in that direction. According to Statista, mobile payment volume is growing at a rate of 62% annually.
There were over $274 billion in mobile payments processed in 2021. That’s a $60 billion jump from 2020.
If you’re selling online, you need to adapt to this 2025 mobile ecommerce commerce trend. The best way to do so is by integrating mobile wallets with your app.
This will allow customers to buy using their preferred payment method. It’s also a fast and safe way to process transactions online.
Conclusion
Mobile trends will continue to play a significant role in the ecommerce industry for the foreseeable future. As an ecommerce store owner, you need to keep a close eye on mobile commerce trends to plan accordingly. If you look at the m-commerce trends that I’ve listed above, you’ll notice a common factor in each one; apps integration. The easiest way to keep up with the times and changing technology is by building a mobile app for your ecommerce website. This is how consumers prefer to shop in 2025. All of the mobile ecommerce trends are pointing in this direction. Follow the tips and best practices that I’ve explained in this guide to dominate mobile commerce in 2025.Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of using mobile apps for ecommerce in 2025?
Mobile apps are expected to dominate ecommerce in 2025 due to their higher conversion rates compared to mobile websites.
Why are smartphones preferred over tablets for online shopping?
Smartphones are more convenient for on-the-go shopping and have a higher sales volume compared to tablets.
What is one-click ordering and how does it benefit mobile commerce?
One-click ordering simplifies the checkout process by reducing the amount of information consumers need to enter, thus decreasing cart abandonment rates and enhancing the shopping experience.
What is mobile commerce?
Mobile commerce refers to the buying and selling of goods and services through mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
How can I optimize my website for mobile commerce?
To optimize your website for mobile commerce, ensure it is mobile-friendly, has fast loading times, and provides a seamless user experience.
What are the trends in mobile commerce for 2025?
Trends in mobile commerce for 2025 include increased use of mobile wallets, personalized shopping experiences, and integration of AI technologies.