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Storage, privacy and a preference for brick-and-mortar are the biggest barriers for retail apps

Storage, privacy and a preference for brick-and-mortar are the biggest barriers for retail apps

For retailers trying to get people to download their apps, the top thing consumers want are discounts and deals, according to new data from the Ipsos Consumer Tracker.

03.16.26

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Chart showing that the biggest barrier to retail apps is shopping in-store

Why we asked: As shopping starts to integrate into AI chatbot platforms, retailers have a renewed focus on their apps.

What we found: When asked about what barriers people might have to downloading more retail shopping apps, “I prefer shopping in-store” was the top reason cited (by 41%) followed by “I don’t want more apps/don’t have space” (33%), privacy-related concerns about storing payment information (also 33%) and not wanting companies to have access to their data (30%). In good user experience news, 27% think it’s easy enough to shop without the app.

What would make folks take the leap and use these apps more often? Not surprisingly, exclusive app-only discounts or coupons top that list (41%) distantly followed by ability to see real-time inventory (21%) and a “store mode” that would let people find items on shelves more easily (19%).