Slovenčina 
Čeština 
Shqiptare 
Österreich 
België 
български 
Bosanski 
Українська 
Eesti 
Македонски 
Türkçe 
Deutsch 
Dansk 
Español 
Français 
Suomi 
Ελληνικά 
Hrvatski 
Magyar 
Schweiz 
Italiano 
Lietuvių 
Latviešu 
Nederlands 
Norsk 
Polski 
Português 
Română 
Srpski 
Slovenščina 
Svenska 
The data comes from analysis by Similarweb and HypeAuditor, which tracked global user behaviour from July 2023 to June 2025 across four major e-commerce categories, with case studies focusing on the US, UK, and Brazilian markets.
Biggest Growth in Home and Beauty
The Home & Garden category led with 18.7% growth in app sessions. Beauty followed with 16.7% and fashion with 12.5%. Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay grew slower at 5.3%.
Notably, web traffic in fashion and marketplaces actually declined. Fashion saw a 3.4% drop in visits; marketplaces fell 4.2%. Yet apps in these categories kept growing.
Source: Similarweb & HypeAuditor report 2025
Temu Managed Growth on Both Fronts
Chinese marketplace Temu stands as an exception. Over the year, it grew 56.9% on the web and 54.4% in the app. After struggles in the US, the company shifted to other markets. In the UK, it reached 12.18 million monthly active users, in Brazil, nearly 30 million.
According to HypeAuditor, Temu built a network of over 13,000 influencers on Instagram. Estimated campaign reach hit 2.3 billion impressions with earned media value of $186 million.
E.l.f. Bets on AI and Gen Z
The cosmetics brand e.l.f. experienced a 138% increase in daily active users after acquiring Hailey Bieber’s Rhode. The app features an AI tool called Color e.l.f.nalysis for selecting makeup shades based on skin tone.
More than 45% of app users fall into the 18-24 age group. On Instagram, e.l.f. has approximately 34% users aged 18-24 and 40% aged 25-34.
Depop Rides the Resale Wave
Secondhand platform Depop recorded the biggest jump – 221% in app downloads over the year. Daily active users grew 51% to 1.24 million.
The “New York is on Depop” campaign in June 2025 triggered a growth wave. The platform leveraged 1,500 nano and micro-influencers with under 50,000 followers. A total of 3,500 Instagram posts emerged with content from sellers themselves.
52% of app users are aged 18-24. The app design mimics Instagram – with profiles, following, and likes instead of a traditional e-shop layout.
IKEA Goes Against the Trend in Home & Garden
The Swedish retailer achieved 12.6% growth in app sessions, even as web traffic fell 0.9%. The app includes AR tools for visualising furniture in space, stock checking, and payment via QR codes.
Sentiment analysis shows users give positive ratings, especially for the AR view feature and quick in-store payment option. Engagement spikes during promotions – for instance during the 2025 summer sale.
7,300 posts about IKEA appeared on Instagram over the year, with 90% from nano creators with under 10,000 followers. IKEA hacks, DIY projects, and renovations dominate.
Source: Similarweb & HypeAuditor report 2025
What This Means for E-commerce Companies
The shift from web to app isn’t temporary. Companies need apps that do more than replicate their website. The data shows three patterns: tools that solve problems (IKEA’s AR, e.l.f.’s color matching), features that drive repeat visits (loyalty programmes, push notifications), and content that works on social platforms where customers already spend time.
Brands winning in apps focus on specific age groups and build for mobile-first behaviour. Gen Z users expect Instagram-like interfaces and personalised experiences. Companies without a clear app strategy risk losing engagement even if their web traffic looks stable.
The pattern holds across different markets. US, UK, and Brazilian data all point in the same direction – customers moving to apps whether they’re in mature or growing e-commerce regions.
