Nearly half of US smartphone users accessed shopping apps in June 2012, according to research from Nielsen.

The most used titles were from established online commerce players, such as eBay, with more than 13.2 million unique users, Amazon (12.1 million) and GroupOn (11.9 million).

Nielsen said that in total, 45 million smartphone owners used apps from the shopping and commerce category during the period, accessing on average 17 times.

The survey also found that “traditional” retailers are also receiving “significant” mobile traffic, from “savvy shoppers looking to find the best deals in their local retail stores”.

Don Kellogg, Director of Telecom Insights at Nielsen, noted: “As more Americans use their smartphones while shopping and making purchases directly through apps, retailers should consider personalising their targeted offerings around the needs of individual consumers”.

The company based its findings on a survey of more than 5,000 US smartphone owners using Android and iOS devices.