Holiday season global shopping app downloads expected to soar to 1.7B in Q4 2023

As the holiday season approaches, the global shopping app market is poised for a significant boost, with a projected 1.7 billion downloads worldwide in Q4 2023, according to data.ai. This surge in shopping app usage is particularly noticeable in key Asia-Pacific markets, including China, Japan, and South Korea.

Chinese consumers are expected to flock to their favorite retail apps, with an estimated 13.5 billion hours spent on shopping apps on Android devices during Q4 2023. This marks a 10.6% increase from Q3 2023 and a solid 3.3% year-over-year rise. This trend highlights the growing reliance on retail apps by Chinese shoppers, driven by major shopping events like Singles Day. 

Furthermore, iOS shopping apps are making a comeback in China, with downloads projected to increase by over 30% for the third consecutive holiday season. It is anticipated to surpass 150 million downloads for the first time in five years.

Japan has also shown consistent growth in shopping apps, both in terms of time spent and downloads. Time spent on Android devices for shopping apps is projected to reach 350 million hours in Q4 2023, reflecting a 4.2% year-over-year increase and nearly 20% growth compared to the 2020 holiday season.

In South Korea, record downloads are expected in Q4, with an estimated 43.3 million downloads. While there may be a slight quarter-over-quarter decline in time spent, the 3.3% year-over-year growth suggests that mobile shopping is still on an upward trajectory in the country.

The holiday season is expected to bring a significant increase in mobile shopping app usage across the Asia-Pacific region, underscoring the ongoing shift toward mobile commerce. In line with this trend, it was revealed in a survey that retailers were increasingly turning to mobile apps for their shopping needs.