80 per cent of US smartphone users accessed a retail site or app on their mobile in July according to comScores Mobile Metrix. Amazon was the top retailer, receiving 49.6m visitors in the month alone, top among both iPhone and Android users. It was followed by eBay with 32.6m visitors and Apple with 17.7m visitors. 

“With nearly 86m Americans now shopping on their smartphones, this pronounced shift in consumer behavior is simply too large for retailers to ignore, with the future of their business depending on how well they adapt to the new environment,” said Mark Donovan, comScore SVP of mobile.

“But adapting isn’t always easy, especially when considering the complexity of the mobile environment, which requires optimizing the experience across multiple platforms and for both mobile websites and apps.”

Wal-Mart had the largest reach among traditional retailers with 16.3m visitors. Shopkick, a shopping rewards app that provides points for consumers who visit retail partners’ stores, including Macy’s and Best Buy, saw its mobile audience reach more than 4m visitors for the first time.

Women now spend more time with retailers on their smartphones than they do on desktop, although the number of male sand female was nearly equal across both platforms. Smartphone shoppers are likely to be younger, with 70.7 per cent under the age of 45 compared to 61.1 per cent on desktop. 

According to the research, mobile shoppers are still more likely to live in higher income households compared to desktop users. Among smartphone audiences accessing retail content, 32.6 per cent, nearly one in every three, had a household income of $100,000 or more.

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