Shopping apps in Asia-Pacific (APAC) are seeing stronger growth compared to other regions as brands shift strategies to focus on more engaged users instead of chasing larger install numbers, according to a new report from measurement and analytics company Adjust.
The “Shopping App Insights Report: 2025 Edition” highlights how artificial intelligence (AI) and improved targeting are helping reshape the way mobile commerce operates. While global e-commerce app installs dropped 14% year over year (YoY) in the first half of 2025, app sessions rose 2%, showing that fewer but more active users are driving growth.
The report also noted that reattribution share for e-commerce apps increased 29% in H1 2025 compared with 2023. This points to a growing focus on re-engaging existing users rather than relying mainly on new acquisitions.
“Globally and across APAC, we are seeing a mobile commerce landscape that is not only growing, but is also maturing,” said April Tayson, regional vice president for INSEAU at Adjust. “The most successful shopping apps are those that blend AI-powered targeting with consistent, meaningful experiences across every touchpoint. This is where building trust and engagement that lasts well beyond the install comes in.”
Adjust found that APAC led growth with a 13% increase in installs and a 2% rise in sessions YoY. In contrast, mature markets such as Europe, North America, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) saw slower growth due to market saturation and changing consumer behavior.
Globally, shopping apps made up more than three-quarters of all e-commerce installs between 2024 and H1 2025 but generated just 36% of sessions, showing a gap in long-term engagement. Marketplace apps, which accounted for 20% of installs, drove 60% of sessions. Session lengths also declined for e-commerce apps, averaging 9.89 minutes in H1 2025, compared with 10.23 minutes in 2024. Marketplace apps posted the longest average at 10.69 minutes.
Day 1 retention was stronger for marketplace apps at 25%, compared with a 13% drop for e-commerce apps. At the same time, the cost per install (CPI) for e-commerce apps rose to $0.99 in Q1 2025. Shopping apps had an average CPI of $1.01, while marketplace apps were slightly lower at $0.89. Despite higher acquisition costs, global click-through rates held steady at 2%.
The report also pointed to the importance of seamless cross-platform journeys, with mobile web serving as a key entry point. Shopping apps averaged seven partners per app in H1 2025, up from six in 2023, as companies diversified their acquisition strategies.