Amazon, Etsy, Forever 21, and Wanelo were the most popular apps

A new study from Forbes finds that shopping apps are the fastest-growing app category in mobile. And millennial consumers prefer to shop retailer-based shopping apps with a strong brick-and-mortar or online presence. 

Screen shots from Bloomingdale’s native shopping app

The study of 1,600 millennials revealed that nearly half (47 percent) of those polled have downloaded a mobile shopping app to their smartphones. Amazon, Etsy, Forever 21, and Wanelo ranked as the most popular apps among the group. Starbucks, JackThreads, and Modcloth were also popular, but less so.

More than half of the respondents (54 percent) said they liked shopping through apps because the overall experience was better than with online shopping; and 27 percent said they shopped apps to take advantage of app-specific discounts and sales.  

Retailer-branded apps are most popular across all age groups, and “multi-brand retailers have a head start over single branded apps due to their large inventories,” reads the study. 

Deep-pocketed retail chains also have the resources (scores of IT pros) to create fast, attractive, glitch-free apps—giving them a huge advantage over smaller chains and indie stores. 

According to Retail Dive, sales on mobile devices are expected to nearly double to $280 billion worldwide this year. That’s a lot of tiny screens awaiting shopping opps.

(Photo courtesy of Bloomingdale’s)

Emili Vesilind

JCK Senior Editor