Eighty-seven percent of tablet owners will be using their device for holiday shopping this year and will spend an average of $325 for purchases on the device, according to a survey released by Zmags on Dec. 8.
“The tablet is portable and available any time consumers find moments in the day to shop, where they might otherwise not have had the opportunity,” said W. Sean Ford, COO and CMO of Zmags, via email. “The tablet itself is becoming more of an indispensable shopping tool and a device of choice for purchase throughout the year.”
Of these tablet shoppers, men are predicted by Zmags to spend more than women this season. According to the survey, in which Zmags and Equation Research interviewed 1,500 online shoppers and 238 tablet owners, 52% of the men surveyed said that they will spend between $201 to $500 on their tablets, compared with 37% of the women.
More than half of tablet owners are shopping for clothes on their tablets, with 38% buying them via their device. Forty-three percent of tablet owners are browsing for toys on their devices, with 38% using the tablets to make a purchase.
Why do tablet owners shop on their devices? Zmags’ research found that a third of tablet owners like to shop on their devices because they find it convenient. In addition, 24% of tablet owners like how tablets facilitate browsing retail sites, digital catalogs and apps.
“What’s inherent in the tablet that is not the case with other devices is the ability to inspire people, and for retailers to build rich brand experience,” Ford said.
Also, with stores turning into battlegrounds these days, it doesn’t hurt that consumers can shop from the comfort of their own homes. According to the report, 50% of tablet owners say the couch is their favored location for shopping, 20% shop in bed, while others shop at the kitchen counter.
Ford said that retailers are optimizing their existing Web experiences for tablets, while others are creating apps to take advantage of tablet owners’ enthusiasm for shopping on their devices. “The approaches are inconsistent, but the bottom line is that the tablet has a seat at the table for every retailer out there who is serious about mobile commerce,” he continued.
