Forrester Research Mobile And Tablet Commerce Forecast, 2013 To 2018 (US)

2013 was a clear turning point for mobile commerce (mCommerce) in the US. Retailers are currently undergoing a business model transition similar to the one that occurred almost a decade ago with the introduction of digital (PC) shopping. However, unlike the newly minted online shoppers from the late 1990s and 2000s, mobile users today are demonstrating a much quicker uptake of mobile shopping. In fact, Amazon reported that more than 50% of its shoppers used tablets or smartphones to browse or purchase during the holiday season at the end of 2013. Almost three-quarters of today’s US online population own a smartphone, and roughly a third own a tablet (Source: Forrester Research Smartphone Adoption Forecast, 2012 To 2017 (US) and Forrester Research Tablet Adoption Forecast, 2012 To 2017 (US)). With such widespread device adoption, mCommerce is primed for healthy growth. This report illustrates the size of the US mobile and tablet commerce landscape from 2010 until 2018, detailing the growth across retail categories. This forecast captures spending through smartphones, referred to as “mobile,” and tablets.