The holiday season is just around the corner, and as shoppers continue to navigate coronavirus many have turned to mobile commerce (m-commerce) to avoid the hassles of in-person shopping. So, we used our app intelligence solutions to analyze the top m-commerce apps in the United States.

This holiday season is shaping up to be an interesting one, to put it mildly. As if concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic weren’t enough, rising inflation and a Gordian Knot-esque supply chain crisis have only added to the ‘intrigue.’

But not everything is so grim. One of the consequences of COVID-19 has been the rise of digitization. As people and businesses continue to incorporate remote work, e-learning, and online shopping into their daily lives, digital solutions have proven remarkably effective across the board. Mobile commerce apps in particular have enabled consumers to navigate stringent COVID policies; and despite the aforementioned ‘intrigue’ heading into the holiday season, m-commerce apps continue to be a bright spot in the retail and e-commerce space.

So, in this article, we briefly examine download trends for five of the most popular Android m-commerce apps in the United States: Amazon, SHEIN, Walmart, Klarna, and Afterpay.

Here’s what we cover (click the links below to jump to the relevant sections):

• The Top Mobile Commerce Apps in the United States
• Analysis of the Top Mobile Commerce Apps in the United States
• Final Thoughts
  
  

The Top Mobile Commerce Apps in the United States

1. Amazon Shopping by Amazon Mobile LLC

• Short Description: Browse, search & buy millions of products right from your Android device.
• US Downloads Over the Last 30 Days: 2,747,874
• Total Global Downloads: 500,000,000+
  
  

2. SHEIN-Fashion Shopping Online by ZOETOP BUSINESS CO.

• Short Description: Meet the SHEIN app - Your one-stop shop for trends at prices you'll Love!
• US Downloads Over the Last 30 Days: 2,694,255
• Total Global Downloads: 100,000,000+
  
  

3. Walmart Shopping & Grocery by Walmart

• Short Description: Easy shopping, plus grocery delivery or curbside pickup.
• US Downloads Over the Last 30 Days: 1,385,342
• Total Global Downloads: 50,000,000+
  
  

4. Klarna | Shop now. Pay later. by Klarna Bank AB (publ)

• Short Description: Easy shopping, easy payments.
• US Downloads Over the Last 30 Days: 648,061
• Total Global Downloads: 10,000,000+
  
  

5. Afterpay: Buy now, pay later. Easy online shopping by Afterpay

• Short Description: Buy online & pay later - browse the latest shopping deals in fashion & beauty.
• US Downloads Over the Last 30 Days: 329,232
• Total Global Downloads: 1,000,000+
  
  

Now, a few quick notes here before we move on. Amazon and Walmart obviously need no explanation — they’re household names at this point. But you might be curious about the other three.

Shein is a really interesting company that’s been making waves across social media recently. Based in Nanjing, China, it’s an online fast-fashion company that’s carved out a leading role in TikTok’s fashion world, where influencers have begun to trend for showing off their ludicrously huge, 400-dollar-plus ‘Shein hauls.’ The particular upside here for holiday shoppers is that Shein is super cheap, meaning despite the current inflationary cycle the proverbial ‘basket of goods’ that can be purchased on Shein will remain relatively full.

Nevertheless, killer prices and clever marketing aside, Shein is still a pretty standard online retailer. Klarna and Afterpay are a little more unique. They’re ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) apps that manage their own storefronts and brand relationships. What’s more, by enabling consumers to finance small and medium-sized purchases via quick, interest-free installments, they give holiday shoppers the ability to buy brand-name products without breaking the bank.

For more m-commerce app insights, set up a meeting with one of our experts!

Analysis of the Top Mobile Commerce Apps in the United States

Downloads between October 27, 2020 - October 27, 2021

In the graph above, you’ll find historical US downloads for each of the top Android m-commerce apps over the last year. In general, downloads have been trending upwards since March 2021, with Amazon leading the way.

That said, the rise of Shein over the last year is perhaps the most remarkable trend. In the period between October 27th, 2020 and January 15th, 2021, the app often fell below 15,000 daily downloads. That’s not bad, but it’s paltry compared to their current performance. Indeed, on June 13th, 2021, downloads for Shein rocketed to unprecedented levels, reaching a high water mark of 212,122 daily downloads. Currently, it’s baseline is somewhere between 85,000 and 100,000 downloads per day.

Interestingly, on June 13th, the very same day that Shein saw a surge in downloads, two pieces of Shein-related news started circulating around social media. The first was a piece by Bloomberg that argued the United States’ trade war had helped Shein become China’s first global fashion giant. The second was that a number of apparel brands, such as Dr. Martens, had hit Shein with trademark disputes.

As for the other apps, Amazon and Walmart are still forces to be reckoned with in the United States, typically generating between 30,000 and 100,000 daily downloads. Klarna and Afterpay, meanwhile, have also performed admirably, generally registering between 5,000 and 20,000 daily downloads.

Final Thoughts

As the world prepares for yet another holiday season spent under the cloud of a global pandemic, m-commerce apps continue to flourish. And it’s no wonder: not only have they proven to be COVID-proof, they also make shopping more convenient and affordable for consumers. Indeed, in light of prevailing economic conditions in the United States and globally, it’s worth noting that many of the leading m-commerce apps were designed to make shopping more accessible to billions of people worldwide.

More App Insights from 42matters

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