Mobile Grocery Shopping Outpaces Computer 2 to 1

Grocers looking to drive digital engagement would be better served to focus on their mobile offerings than their laptop/desktop sites.

By the Numbers

Data from the latest edition of the Digital Economy Payments study, “Digital Economy Payments: The Rise Of Mobile eCommerce,” for which PYMNTS surveyed more than 2,700 U.S. consumers about their shopping habits, reveals that 10% of consumers purchase groceries online using a mobile device. In contrast, only 5% do so online using a computer.

Get the study: Digital Economy Payments: The Rise Of Mobile eCommerce

Notably, mobile adoption is on the rise, while engagement via computer is actually falling. Last December, only 7% of consumers reported making mobile grocery purchases, while at the same time, 6% were shopping for groceries with their computers.

The Data in Action

Noting this preference for mobile, grocers have been building out their apps with a range of different features, aiming to create a unified digital ecosystem with which consumers can engage at home and in stores. Kroger, for its part, the United States’ leading pure-play grocer, has been leveraging digital coupons to drive mobile engagement.

“Our customers are looking for ways to save, and we are there for them,” Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen told analysts on a call in September discussing the company’s second quarter financial results. “During the quarter, digital coupon engagement hit an all-time high with 750 million digital offers downloaded, totaling almost $1 billion in savings.”

Also included in the app is a “Store Mode” offering in-store digital assistance in addition to prescription management tools for the grocer’s pharmacy business.