Mixed picture for mobile commerce apps – App Annie

While the perception remains that iOS users are more valuable than their Android counterparts in mobile commerce terms, Android is gaining traction as smartphones have become increasingly important for the mass market, App Annie said.

This came as shoppers took to apps to participate in sales such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, seemingly at the expense of traditional retailers.

In the US, downloads of the top 10 retail apps on iOS in November 2015 grew by roughly 10 per cent year-on-year, while Google Play downloads increased by “a healthy” 50 per cent, to narrowly take the lead.

For the UK, the pattern was similar, with growth of 10 per cent and 55 per cent for iOS and Google Play respectively, although Apple maintained the top spot.

App Annie said that the figures “point to a maturing ecosystem for mobile commerce”. The download numbers for iOS users may have been lower because apps were already installed, while the Google Play surge indicates a growth in first-time shoppers, it said.

But it also noted that downloading the app is only the first stage.

In the US, the time spent in the top 10 retail apps on Android was around 55 per cent higher than for iOS. The analytics firm noted that while this only gives the performance of top ten retail apps by monthly active users on the platform, “it is still surprising given that more than two thirds of mobile sales continue to come from iOS devices”.

This implies the conversion rate and transaction value for Android users is “noticeably lower” than for their iOS counterparts, which, given the nature of first time mobile shoppers and the general growth of mobile as a research tool, indicates a different role for the app as a comparison, research and pricing tool.

However, App Annie also said that in-app shopping carts have a higher spend than their web counterparts, meaning that “retailers should aim to drive not just downloads, but engagement and ultimately purchases through their apps”.

“Given the scale of consumer engagement with smartphones and retail apps, retailers need to continue refining their mobile app strategy as they have great opportunity ahead of them to convert mobile users and researchers into mobile purchasers,” it said.