Broad acceptance of smartphones and their related apps is propelling mobile commerce forward at a rate more than three times that of e-commerce.
According to Coupofy.com, a Seattle-based database of online coupon codes, the number of global mobile coupon users, 560 million in 2014, is expected to reach 1.05 billion by 2019.
During that span, the number of mobile-coupon redemptions is seen rising to 31 billion from 16 billion.
Coupofy’s research indicates that mobile shopping will grow 42 percent between 2013 and 2016, more than three times the projected growth rate of 13 percent for e-commerce. Mobile users are expected to spend $600 billion by 2018, triple the 2014 figure of $200 billion.
The growth is being led by Scandinavian countries such as Denmark, Norway and Sweden, as well as China and Spain. All are expected to see increases in mobile shopping of about 50 percent between 2013 and 2016. The greatest disparity in growth rates was found in Denmark, where m-commerce growth is seen exceeding e-commerce by a margin of 55 percent to 11 percent.
Related Galleries
With mobile devices already prevalent in India and Taiwan from 2012 to 2014, m-commerce expanded about 60 percent.
At retail, the revenues in m-commerce have followed those for e-commerce. Amazon.com, the leading e-commerce site, is also the leading site for m-commerce, with 110 percent growth translating into revenues of $16.8 billion last year. Other global m-commerce leaders include Apple, with $14 billion in m-commerce revenues; China’s Jingdong Mall ($5.8 billion), Google Play ($4.4 billion) and QVC ($1.86 billion).
Filling out the top 10 m-commerce retailers are Wal-Mart ($1.43 billion), Otto Group ($1.35 billion), Suning Appliances ($1.35 billion) and Sears and Xiaomi.com (both at $900 million).
More than two-thirds of Chinese online consumers — 68 percent — have already shopped with a smartphone, Coupofy said. In the United Arab Emirates, the figure is 57 percent and, in Turkey, 53 percent.
Apple users spend an average of $15 more than Android users per transaction, while tablet users spend $36 more than smartphone users. Men spend $24 more than women, while women tend to purchase apparel and accessories and men lean towards sports products.
Computers, TVs and multimedia products rate the highest average order value at $212, followed by books, music and games at $198. Jewelry ranks sixth at $113 and apparel and accessories seventh at $93.