Adjust, a leading measurement and analytics company, has released a new shopping app insights report revealing a significant 61% increase in global shopping app installs during the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year. This growth, which surpasses the overall e-commerce app vertical’s average, comes as mobile shopping continues to evolve with the integration of advanced technologies like AI, augmented reality (AR), and the expansion of digital shopping experiences.
According to Adjust, the rise in shopping app installs is accompanied by a 25% year-over-year (YoY) increase in e-commerce app installs, along with a 13% increase in user sessions. The growth reflects the rapid scaling of retail media networks and the widespread adoption of mobile wallets, which are transforming how consumers interact with brands and make purchases.
APAC region leads the charge in app usage and engagement
The report highlights the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region as a significant contributor to this growth. E-commerce app session lengths in APAC averaged 10 minutes, slightly below the global average of 10.5 minutes. However, the region demonstrated strong user engagement with a Day 1 retention rate of 15%, outpacing North America and Latin America (LATAM), which had retention rates of 11% and 14.4%, respectively. Additionally, APAC recorded the highest number of partners per app, rising from 10.7 to 11.8 between 2023 and the first half of 2024.
“In a competitive market where engagement and customer loyalty are critical, staying at the forefront of intergenerational consumer expectations and the technologies behind them is paramount,” said Tiahn Wetzler, Director of Content & Insights at Adjust. “As the shopping app landscape evolves, scalable growth will be achieved through a strategic channel mix, smart personalisation, and a data-obsessed approach to measurement and analytics.”
The APAC region also saw a significant rise in in-app revenue, which increased by 36% YoY. Notably, 60% of global in-app revenue now comes from Android devices. The report highlights that the largest revenue spikes occurred in Q4 2023, with November and December revenues rising 34% and 22% above the monthly average, respectively.
Strategic insights for the Q4 shopping season
The shopping app insights report also offers valuable recommendations for marketers as they prepare for the Q4 shopping season, a period known for substantial increases in app installs and user activity. A survey conducted by InMobi in 2023 revealed that 73% of respondents in Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines plan to mix in-person and mobile shopping during the holiday season.
Adjust recorded notable increases in app installs during Q4 2023, with installs peaking 40% above the daily average on 17 October and 41% higher on 18 October. These trends underscore the importance of optimising marketing strategies to capture the growing number of mobile shoppers.
“Shopping habits are rapidly changing with evolving e-commerce technology,” noted April Tayson, Regional Vice President for INSEAU at Adjust. “Marketers and retailers need to sharpen their campaign strategies to ensure optimal growth, especially in APAC. Our data shows that several Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam, spend a considerable amount of time within apps. This trend presents a significant opportunity for businesses to capitalise on.”