32.7% of consumers with web access will use the Internet on desktop PCs to shop during the 2014 holidays, down from 47.8% in 2013, according to a new study of 786 U.S. online adults by digital and mobile marketing firms Burst Media and Rhythm NewMedia. Further, 34.2% of online adults who use smartphones and tablets will use their mobile devices more than they did last year to shop, the study finds.

33.0% of online adults who will use a smartphone and/or tablet to shop for holiday gifts will make purchases directly on their mobile device or devices, the study says. Based on data from the 2015 Internet Retailer Mobile 500, around a quarter of total 2014 holiday web sales could be mobile, Internet Retailer estimates. 22.8% of 2014 mobile sales by the 366 U.S. retailers in the Mobile 500 will be mobile; that figure is an average as reported by retailers and estimated by Internet Retailer, and includes a spike at year’s end for the holidays.

Industry watchers will be keeping their eyes on mobile apps this year, as consumers shift more of their overall mobile time every day from the mobile web to mobile apps. According to the 2015 Mobile 500, 42.4% of total 2014 mobile sales among the 500 leading retailers in mobile commerce will stem from apps. That figure is skewed by larger retailers, though. The typical retailer with an app will see about 30% of mobile sales come from its app in 2014, Internet Retailer finds.

Following are findings from a new 2014 holiday shopping survey of 500 mobile device owners who have experience with apps, conducted by mobile marketing, personalization and analytics firm Artisan Mobile:

• 91% intend to make purchases through a mobile app this holiday season.
• 94% strongly agreed or agreed that they are purchasing and browsing products on apps more than ever before.
• 54% plan to do half or more of their holiday shopping (purchases and/or browsing) via a mobile app.
• 51% frequently or always make purchases by other means (in-store, desktop) after browsing products on a mobile app (when not making the purchase in the app itself).
• 44% shop four or more smartphone apps; 39% shop four or more tablet apps.
• 75% browse or make purchases on mobile apps multiple times a month; 47% weekly.

“Consumers are shopping on apps more than ever before, and we’ll see apps play an even bigger role this holiday season than last year,” says Bob Moul, CEO of Artisan Mobile.  “Not only are consumers making purchases via apps, but they’re also browsing on these apps before making purchases with that app’s brand either on their desktops or in-store.  Apps are becoming such a critical part of the shopping experience, and that’s why retailers and marketers need to understand how to deliver a personalized experience that will engage their app users, who also tend to be a brand’s most loyal customers.”

Follow Bill Siwicki, editor of the 2015 Internet Retailer Mobile 500 and managing editor, mobile commerce, at Internet Retailer, at @IRmcommerce.