Are apps becoming the new high street for German shoppers?

The global growth of mobile platforms has redefined digital behaviours, especially relating to retail and m-commerce. Apps now dominate mobile minutes in the majority of regions measured by Comscore, and are used for a growing number of consumer tasks, but retailers have not yet translated this extra time into direct revenue. The gap looks to be closing however, with 9% of German consumers purchasing via smartphone apps, only slightly behind the 10% purchasing via mobile browser.

Some key insights:

• 9% of German consumers purchase on mobile via apps, compared to 10% who do so via browser
• People aged between 25 and 34 are responsible for 28% of purchases through smartphone apps in Germany.
• 1 in 5 mobile users compare product prices though their mobile devices in a month, and 10% check product availability.
• Clothing and accessories are the most popular items purchased via app with 47% of all smartphone app buyers purchasing these items in a month.
• The greatest challenge facing app providers globally is the barrier to download. In Germany, only 28% of the mobile users download any new apps in a month.