What’s the outlook for smartphone and tablet online retail in Europe and the US? This two-part blog post highlights what’s changed — and what’s ahead — for each region.

Of total US retail sales in 2020, one-fifth now occur online per Forrester’s “2020 Online Retail Forecast, North America (COVID-19 Update).” We expect total US mobile commerce — which includes mobile retail and mobile travel sales — to grow by 14.4% from 2019 to 2024. Here are some of the key factors that are currently driving mobile commerce in the US:

  • COVID-19 has had a major impact. During the pandemic, US consumers bought more online on desktop devices and on mobile devices. Mobile retail specifically grew significantly year over year.
  • Mobile commerce is becoming a pillar of retail sales growth. In 2020, mobile and tablet retail accounted for nearly 44% of total US online retail sales that year. Consumers spend more time on mobile devices than before, and they are now more comfortable than even three years ago using their smartphones to both research and buy products.
  • Tablet shares will decline. By 2024, we expect tablets to account for less than one-fifth of total mobile commerce in the US. Instead, more US consumers will use mobile phones for retail and travel purchases.

Learn more about the forecasts in the full US outlook report, see similar highlights of the Europe-5 forecast (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK), and schedule an inquiry with me to discuss further details about this forecast.