M-Commerce: The New Core of Global Retail
The mobile commerce market is on a pronounced growth trajectory, expected to reach a staggering USD 5.61 trillion by 2035, expanding at an annual growth rate of roughly 8%. This surge underscores mobile devices as the central retail infrastructure. A defining factor is the rise of the “mobile-only” consumer—individuals who rely exclusively on mobile devices for shopping—who now represent a dominant economic demographic driving consumption patterns globally.
Social & AI: Powering the Buyer Journey
Social commerce has emerged as a leading catalyst in expanding m-commerce, shaped heavily by platform-led purchasing within social media environments. These platforms enable seamless discovery and transactions, blurring the lines between social interaction and shopping. Complementing this, generative artificial intelligence transforms the mobile shopping experience by introducing conversational commerce models and personalized digital assistants. These AI-powered tools facilitate tailored recommendations and streamline decision-making, effectively reducing friction and accelerating purchasing timelines.
Capitalizing on Marketplace Growth
For marketplace businesses, adapting to these shifts is imperative. Strategies centered on mobile-first engagement and the integration of AI-driven personalization can significantly improve conversion rates. Marketplace owners and digital strategists should focus on incorporating AI capabilities such as chat-based shopping and bespoke styling to meet mobile-only consumers’ expectations. Proactive adoption of social commerce dynamics and generative AI functionalities will position marketplaces to capture a greater share of the rapidly evolving retail landscape.
