Which Retailer Has Most Mobile-Only Share?

More and more Americans are using their mobile devices to access the Internet, while a higher percentage are visiting retail websites exclusively on their mobile phones, according to data from comScore.

A report, published and analyzed by Internet Retailer, shows that nearly half of digital shoppers at America’s Top 10 retailers shop for goods exclusively on mobile phones, compared to 13 percent of digital shoppers overall and the 10 percent that only access the Internet from mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets.

While the list includes expected candidates like Apple and Ticketmaster, which sell items such as apps and event tickets that can be stored on mobile devices, it also includes brick-and-mortar retailers like Target, with 53 percent mobile-only digital shoppers, and Wal-Mart, with 51 percent mobile-only shoppers. The high numbers for these two retail heavyweights, as well as smaller figures from places like Kohl’s (48 percent), reflects traditional retail’s investments in mobile commerce, particularly Target‘s mobile app designed for higher same-store sales. Wal-Mart is also increasing its investment in e-commerce by merging its physical and online retail efforts for a more integrated shopping experience.

Despite the small number of mobile-only customers relative to the market as a whole, but mindful of increasing usage in major retail outlets, having an optimized mobile platform is becoming more crucial for stores to implement in an effort to win over customers, Andrew Lipsman, comScore’s vice president of marketing and insights at comScore, said, according to Internet Retailer.

Home shopping channel QVC came in at 53 percent mobile-only consumers, a statistic that comScore reportedly attributed to television shopping channels being “pioneers” in mobile commerce, such as QVC’s mobile app to make ordering items easier along with its implementation of TouchID last year for its iOS app.

Other notables on the list were eBay at 44 percent mobile-only, and Best Buy at 46 percent.