Mobile shoppers want unique, not popular

Your mobile product page and your desktop product page are not serving the same psychological state. Shoppers using their own phone are more focused on personal identity than shoppers using a desktop or a borrowed device - and that changes what they want to buy.

The self-focus effect of personal devices

The research found that using a personal smartphone activates private self-focus - a heightened awareness of individual identity and preferences. This makes shoppers drawn to products that feel distinctive or personally expressive rather than widely popular.

Crucially, the effect disappeared when participants used a borrowed phone. The device's personal nature was the trigger, not the mobile form factor itself.

What this means for product positioning on mobile

Social proof framing like "bestseller" or "most popular" may be less persuasive for mobile shoppers than messaging that emphasises uniqueness, limited availability, or personal fit. Personalisation features - "built for you," "customise this" - resonate more strongly in the mobile context.

Shopify implementation

• Use Shopify's theme editor to serve mobile-specific hero content or product callouts where possible
• Emphasise product customisation options, limited editions, or personalisation features higher in the mobile layout
• Test replacing "bestseller" labels with "our most distinctive" or similar uniqueness cues on mobile collection pages

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Research: Song, C.E. & Sela, A. (2022). "Phone and Self: How Smartphone Use Increases Preference for Uniqueness." Journal of Marketing Research. DOI: 10.1177/00222437221120404.