A recent report by Statista revealed that smartphones and laptops are the most commonly used devices for online shopping in the United States. The survey, conducted among 975 online shoppers in September 2023, highlights that smartphones account for 73% of online orders in the U.S., while 43% rely on laptops.
The dominance of smartphones in the online shopping landscape is not surprising, given the broader trends in mobile internet usage. Over 60.67% of global website traffic now comes from mobile devices, and 92.3% of internet users access the web via mobile phones. This shift towards mobile is also reflected in the retail sector, where smartphones accounted for over three-quarters of retail site visits in the first quarter of 2024 and generated roughly two-thirds of online shopping orders in the U.S.
While trailing behind smartphones, laptop purchases account for 34% of all online purchases in the country despite only accounting for 23% of retail website traffic. This indicates that while consumers may browse more frequently on their smartphones, they often turn to laptops when it comes time to finalize their purchases.
The report also illuminates the broader context of online shopping in the U.S. As of 2023, the country had 274.70 million online buyers, representing more than 81% of the total population. Interestingly, smartphone and laptop preference varies across demographics and shopping behaviors.
For instance, nearly 80% of consumers worldwide visit a retailer's website from their smartphone while shopping in-store, and 74% use a retailer's app, according to a March 2023 study by Airship and Sapio Research. This trend is particularly pronounced among millennials, with 93% planning to purchase during major sales events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
Moreover, the types of products being purchased online also influence device preference. In the U.S., the most popular categories for online purchases are clothing and shoes, with 43% and 33% of consumers choosing these categories in a representative online survey conducted in 2024.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the reliance on mobile devices for online shopping is expected to grow even further. Retailers and e-commerce platforms must adapt to these changing consumer behaviors by optimizing mobile interfaces and ensuring a seamless shopping experience across all devices.
