A significant minority of smartphone owners are using mobile shopping apps, says PriceGrabber, a division of Experian plc.

29% of consumers with smartphones have downloaded at least one shopping app. On average, of the 21 mobile apps a typical smartphone owner downloads to her phone, three are shopping-related, PriceGrabber says. In its March survey of nearly 8,000 consumers, PriceGrabber discovered that 72% of consumers with shopping apps use the tiny programs to receive coupons, price alerts and product deals. That means about 20% of smartphone owners have at least one shopping-related app on their phone.

“Many consumers seem to be taking particular advantage of how shopping apps can be helpful on the go,” a PriceGrabber spokeswoman says. 34% of respondents with shopping apps use them to compare prices and 33% to find nearby products to purchase. Another 21% of consumers with shopping apps employ bar code scanning apps to compare prices.

“Despite the popularity of ordering online, people still seem to have an affinity for bricks-and-mortar stores, and they’re using shopping apps creatively to make the experience of local shopping timely and budget-friendly,” the spokeswoman says.