Among the most common devices used for online shopping in Germany in 2026, smartphones dominate overall — but the gender gap is striking. Nearly seven in ten women (69%) rely on smartphones as their primary shopping device, compared to 52% of men, a 17-percentage-point difference that marks one of the clearest divides in the data.
Men are substantially more likely to shop via computer: 40% prefer a desktop or laptop, more than double the female share of 23%. Tablets attract modest usage from both groups — 8% of women and 6% of men — while smart TVs and streaming devices register just 1% across the board, confirming they remain a negligible channel for e-commerce regardless of gender.
These device preferences reflect broader patterns in how German consumers integrate digital technology into daily life. Smartphone penetration has risen steadily alongside Germany's evolving economic landscape, detailed in sources such as Germany GDP Growth Rate by Year (1961–2023) and Germany Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Year (1961–2023). A fuller picture of how hardware adoption is shifting across the population can be found in the Device Usage Breakdown in Germany (%), while demographic context — including the Changing Median Age of Population in Germany (2000–2030) — helps explain why mobile-first shopping continues to grow.
