2020 will be the year in which apps that allow users to carry out safe shopping online grow their influence over the e-commerce market, according to the results of a new report from Poq.

Experts believe that over the coming 12 months a total of 25 per cent of all traffic handled by online stores will be channelled through apps, indicating that consumers are more comfortable with the idea of purchasing in this standalone context rather than using retail websites to achieve this.

One of the reasons for this increase is that more social media apps are integrating their own e-commerce capabilities, making it easier for users to buy products without having to head elsewhere. Instagram is the biggest proponent of this, with promotional posts being especially impactful thanks to the introduction of shoppable Stories - features which influencers and brands can use to capture the attentions of prospective customers while they peruse their timelines.

Another aspect of shopping apps which is allowing them to capture a bigger slice of the e-commerce market is their ability to provide alerts and notifications to users direct to their smarthomes’ homescreens, giving them similar levels of exposure and attention as instant messages and emails.

Retailers can even advertise deals and discounts using notifications without the app having to be open and running at the time. This makes them all the more impactful during sales periods, such as over the Cyber Weekend in the run-up to Christmas.

Mobile devices are already thought to account for more traffic and online sales than traditional desktop and laptop computers, but now it seems that apps could also be changing the face of the industry and reshaping consumer habits further. This will make app optimisation a key concern for retailers this year.