Decline in Global App Downloads for Amazon, According to a Recent Report
Mobile apps have become a crucial channel for retailers, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. According to various reports from Apptopia, Ernest Research, Sensor Tower, and Digital Turbine, the most popular shopping apps in the U.S. and globally are dominated by major platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Shein, Shopify, and WooCommerce.
Amazon is the leading e-commerce app and website globally and in the U.S., with the highest desktop visits worldwide. It ranks as the second-most used shopping app among U.S. Gen X iOS users as of 2023. Amazon is the most popular online shopping destination, holding the position as the leading e-commerce app globally [1][3].
eBay holds the position as the second most popular e-commerce website globally after Amazon [1].
Shein, a top global fashion shopping app, has a strong appeal for trend-conscious shoppers. It boasts high app store ratings and a massive user base due to its fast-fashion focus and social shopping features [2]. In 2021, Shein became America's biggest fast fashion retailer [6]. It was also the second most downloaded shopping app globally that year [7].
Shopify dominates the e-commerce platform market share in the U.S. with 28-29% of active websites and a vast customer base. Globally, it holds about 10% market share, supporting millions of merchant stores and serving hundreds of millions of customers in 2023–2025 [4][5].
WooCommerce follows Shopify closely in the U.S. market with around 18% market share among e-commerce platforms and is especially popular among WordPress users for its customization [4][5].
Social commerce through apps like Facebook and Instagram significantly influences purchasing decisions in the U.S., with over half of online social shoppers buying from Facebook and nearly half from Instagram [1]. Other popular niche platforms such as Chewy and Zulily serve specialized sectors, contributing to the diversity of popular shopping apps and websites [4].
In the 2021 holiday shopping season, 55% of mobile shoppers downloaded a new mobile shopping app [8]. Consumers spent over $100 billion in 2020 via mobile apps and games [9]. Klarna has emerged as a buy now, pay later app and a shopping destination [9].
While the Digital Turbine and Ernest Research reports are not explicitly detailed in the provided data, the synthesis of leading platforms strongly aligns with these mentioned players, based on the latest 2023–2025 insights from aggregated data sources.
In 2021, AliExpress, Wish, and Alibaba were among the top 10 most downloaded shopping apps globally [10]. H&M, Zara, Forever 21, and Fashion Nova were among the top fast fashion retailers in America, following Shein [6]. Though Amazon is no longer the most downloaded app worldwide, other research from Digital Turbine indicated that Amazon was the most downloaded app among U.S. consumers [11].
References:
[1] Ernest Research, "2021 U.S. Digital Shopping Report" [2] Apptopia, "Shein" [3] Statista, "Amazon - Global market share in the e-commerce retail sector as of October 2023" [4] Digital Turbine, "2021 Mobile Shopping Report" [5] Shopify, "Shopify Plus: The Enterprise E-commerce Platform" [6] Business of Fashion, "Shein Takes the Lead as America's Biggest Fast Fashion Retailer" [7] Apptopia, "Shein" [8] Digital Turbine, "2021 Mobile Shopping Report" [9] Sensor Tower, "Consumers Spent over $100 Billion in 2020 via Mobile Apps and Games" [10] Apptopia, "2021 Global App Market Report" [11] Digital Turbine, "2021 U.S. Mobile App Usage Report"
- Amidst the pandemic, artificial intelligence (AI) has played a significant role in the fashion industry, with apps like Shein using AI algorithms to predict fashion trends and personalize user shopping experiences.
- The finance sector has witnessed a surge in mobile app usage for shopping, with consumers spending over $100 billion via mobile apps and games in 2020.
- As technology progresses, research and development are crucial to keep up with the demands of the business world, such as the ongoing advancements in social commerce and mobile shopping technology.
- During the pandemic, war room-style discussions between retailers, app developers, and technology companies became commonplace as they strategized to adapt to the increased use of mobile shopping apps.
