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Amazon was the most downloaded mobile shopping app in the US in 2022 as its reach continued to grow. Closing in on Amazon was Shein at No. 2, followed by Walmart, Fetch, and Shopify’s Shop app.

On today's podcast episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss why folks are shopping more on their mobile devices and the role of mobile in-store. Then, for "Red-Hot Retail," our analysts give us some spicy predictions about the future of mobile shopping. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analysts Carina Perkins and Yory Wurmser.

For context, there will be 19.6 million mobile buyers in Canada this year. Gen Z and millennials lead the way. Both groups have greater than 90% buyer penetration. Age bracket growth is led by buyers 65 and older, amounting to 5 million in 2024. That’s on par with ages 35 to 44, and just 200,000 fewer than the leading group: ages 25 to 34.

Digital sales will get a boost from mobile shopping during the holidays. Mcommerce retail sales will total $140.65 billion during the 2024 holiday season, up 13.4% YoY. Mcommerce now accounts for over half of online sales during the holidays.

Although smartphones are the preferred mobile shopping device, tablets are also popular. Over 87% of mobile buyers will make a purchase via smartphones in 2024 and over 64% via tablets, per our forecast. Growth is returning across all major ecommerce categories. Normalcy has resumed across most major online categories.

Propose how brands and retailers can create and maintain a mobile shopping experience that meets consumer demands.

AR/VR continues to evolve as a tool for marketers and retailers to develop deeper consumer engagement. Long-term growth will be helped by AI integrations and demographic shifts. And while gaming is still the top use case, smart glasses are on the rise.

The news: US shopper interest in generative AI (genAI) assistants has spiked 223% between 2023 and 2025, per Chain Store Age. 69% of US consumers surveyed by CouponFollow have used AI assistants for shopping. Our take: Retail AI strategies must match their audiences. Those geared toward younger consumers should highlight AI use and innovation and even let AI guide purchases. For older consumers, focus on AI to inform, not take control.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a fast-growing and lucrative ecommerce market. To tap into growth in the country, retailers and brands need to understand what motivates consumers.

As competition intensifies and consumers continue to seek value, retailers will need to double down on how to differentiate themselves and offer shoppers what they want, wherever they are.

US retail sales via mobile wallets are growing much faster than overall sales. To meet this demand, wallet providers must address consumer expectations and solve growth hurdles.

The retailer made its ambitions clear in January, when it beat Amazon to the punch by rolling out genAI-enhanced search capabilities to mobile shoppers. Since then, Walmart has launched several genAI-powered features to make the shopping experience more personalized and useful to customers, including:. A shopping assistant that can answer shoppers’ questions and direct them to relevant products.

Toys and hobby sales have normalized after a pandemic-era spike, though some brands are still flying high. Here’s what to expect from the industry this year.

Mobile shopping will also play a big part in last-minute shopping. Some 83% of online traffic and 76% of online orders will come from mobile devices between December 23 and 25, according to Salesforce. Best Buy’s AI-powered Gift Finder, exclusively available via the retailer’s app, provides consumers with personalized recommendations via pre-generated or user-generated prompts.

Consumer-facing tech in stores is rapidly evolving. Retailers must prioritize investments carefully to maintain already implemented tech—and explore interesting (but largely untested) innovations.