Report: Mobile commerce to grow to $119 billion in 2015

New York City In 2015, shoppers around the world are expected to spend about $119 billion on goods and services purchased via mobile phones, according to ABI Research. That number represents about 8% of the total e-commerce market.

“Mobile online shopping is reaching critical mass,” said senior analyst Mark Beccue. “In the United States, mobile online shopping rose from $396 million in 2008 to $1.2 billion in 2009. While definitions of ‘mass market adoption’ vary, a more than fivefold increase in one year indicates significant consumer interest."

Noteworthy is that even that $1 plus billion turnover in the United States is dwarfed by the size of the mobile online shopping market in Japan, which exceeded $10 billion in 2009 alone. This market is growing solidly in Europe too, and is expected to outpace the United States by the end of 2010, according to ABI.

“The driver for mobile online shopping in the United States has been the recent sharp spike in smartphone adoption and the corresponding enthusiasm for mobile Internet. Also, many more retailers have been launching mobile commerce Web sites,” added Beccue.

Not only does mobile online shopping allow shoppers to manage their time better, but in fourth quarter 2009, an interesting trend emerged: Consumers were checking out products in brick-and-mortar retail stores and using their phones for comparison shopping.

ABI Research’s new “Mobile Commerce” study focuses on two emerging developments in mobile commerce: mobile online shopping and mobile payments for virtual goods.