Most shoppers now use their phones to browse and shop online. If your store isn’t mobile-friendly, you could be losing customers and leaving money on the table without even realizing it.
With over 70% of the world’s population owning a smartphone, mobile commerce makes it easy to reach more buyers and grow your sales.
If you run a print-on-demand (POD) business, this shift brings many opportunities. By keeping up with the latest mobile commerce growth statistics, you can make wiser business decisions.
When you understand how and why people shop on mobile, you can tweak your products to match what’s trending and what people are actually interested in.
In this guide, we’ll explore the latest mobile commerce growth stats that every store owner should know in 2026. You’ll learn what each one means for your POD business and how you can use them to grow faster.
Growth of Mobile Commerce: 2017–2024
Mobile commerce sales hit an all-time high of $2 trillion in 2024. These sales make up 57% of the global ecommerce revenue.
This mobile commerce growth stat shows how quickly shopping habits have changed. In 2017, mobile commerce accounted for less than one-third of total ecommerce sales. Today, more than half of all online purchases happen on mobile devices.
This means your business needs to meet shoppers where they are — on mobile. Even if you offer the best-selling POD products, you may lose sales if your store isn’t mobile-friendly.
Here’s how you can improve your customers’ browsing experience:
- Ensure your Shopify or Etsy listings load fast and look great on phones
- Utilize photos that are easy to view on smaller screens
- Use mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay for smoother checkouts
- Simplify your navigation menu to help customers easily find what they need
- Reduce images to make sure your product pages load fast
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Forecasting Mobile Commerce Growth: 2025–2028 Revenue Insights
According to the Oberlo data mentioned above, mobile commerce will make up $3 of every $5 spent online by 2028. This mobile commerce growth rate represents 63% of all ecommerce sales.
This means the gap between mobile and desktop sales will continue to increase. More people will keep shopping on their phones, and businesses that adjust early will sell more and earn more money.
You should consider starting your POD business with this mobile-first future in mind. It will help you stay ahead of competitors who still focus on desktops.
Here’s how to make the most of mobile commerce growth and scale your small business:
- Sell through platforms like TikTok Shop and Instagram Checkout. This allows buyers to shop without leaving the app.
- Run vertical, mobile-friendly ads when marketing your product online. They'll enable you to reach a wider audience and boost conversions.
- Use SMS or app notifications to promote offers and discounts to mobile shoppers.
Key Contributors to Mobile Commerce Growth
Since the last few years, more than 70% of all online shopping is happening on mobile devices. This mobile commerce growth is happening for a few main reasons:
- Convenience and Connectivity: People love shopping on their phones because it’s fast, easy, and always available. They can check out your designs or products anytime and anywhere.
- Immersive Shopping Experiences: Phones make it easy to create fun and interactive shopping experiences. Using AR and live videos helps grab people’s attention, keep them engaged, and boost mobile commerce growth even more.
- Technology Advancement: New technologies are making shopping on phones easier than ever. You can use AI tools and chatbots to help customers find what they want faster. Better payment systems also make checking out simple.
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Mobile Ecommerce Conversion Rates: Key Data
The average mobile conversion rate in October 2024 was 2.85%. This is a 0.03% increase from the previous month.
Because so many people shop on their phones, even a small increase in sales makes a big difference. If you improve your conversion rate by 0.5% you can increase your sales and still earn a lot more money.
Here’s how you can increase sales and profit from mobile commerce growth:
- Use large and clearly visible CTAs that are easy to tap using thumbs
- Keep your product pages and descriptions simple with short texts and high-quality images
- Reduce the number of checkout steps to lower cart abandonment rates
- Add reviews, photos, and testimonials to build trust
How Many People Shop Using Mobile Phones?
Roughly 76% of adults have bought at least one product using their mobile phones in 2025. That’s nearly eight out of ten adults using their mobile devices to shop online.
This shows that most of your ideal customers already know how to shop on their mobile phones. All you need to do is convince them to buy from your online store.
Whether you’re selling photography prints or tech accessories, here’s how you can attract and convert mobile shoppers:
- Design mobile-friendly email campaigns with short subject lines, clear CTAs, and tappable links
- Enable autofill for your checkout forms to reduce typing effort for mobile shoppers
- Offer mobile-only discounts or free shipping to encourage purchases
- Create mobile-friendly product mockups using a tool like Podbase
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Mobile Commerce Trends 2026
Several key trends are shaping the future of mobile ecommerce growth. If you keep up with these changes, you can find new ways to grow your business.
Here are a few mobile commerce growth trends to watch out for in 2026:
- Voice Commerce Expansion: More people will shop using voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. You can use conversational keywords in your product listings and descriptions to show up in relevant voice search results.
- Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Shopping: Augmented and virtual reality let shoppers see products in real life before buying. For example, they can view wall art on their walls or preview a tote bag on their shoulder.
Letting customers see or try your print-on-demand products through AR or VR can help them feel more confident about buying.
- Seamless Social Commerce: Apps like TikTok Shop, Instagram Checkout, and Pinterest Shopping will continue to drive mobile commerce growth. Selling directly on these apps makes the shopping process faster and easier.
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): Apps like Klarna and Afterpay let people buy now and pay over time. This makes products like tablet cases or wall art easier for shoppers to afford.
- Instant Checkout and One-Click Payments: As more people use digital wallets, checkout will become faster. With fewer steps, more people will complete their online shopping rather than abandon their carts.
- Mobile Live Shopping: Brands and influencers now go live on apps like TikTok and Instagram to show off their products. Doing this can help you talk with your audience and make quick sales while streaming.
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Final Thoughts
These mobile commerce growth statistics show that people use their phones more than any other device to shop online. They use their phones to find new products, compare prices, and buy what they want with just a few taps.
For POD business owners, mobile commerce growth means more ways to connect with shoppers around the world. Every tap, scroll, and share can turn into a sale when your store is mobile-ready.
The key is to stay flexible, optimize your store for mobile devices, and meet your customers where they already are.
Don’t let mobile shoppers slip away from you. Start creating and selling high-converting, mobile-optimized custom products with Podbase today.
Saulius Meilutis is the CEO of Podbase, helping creators and entrepreneurs monetize their ideas with print-on-demand. He shares insights on eCommerce, growth, and building lean online businesses.
