NEW YORK – Tablet ownership increases the frequency of mobile shopping, improves the purchase experience, and makes consumers who own a smartphone and a tablet use their handset more often, according to new research by Ipsos OTX MediaCT.
The study, conducted on behalf of PayPal, found that 41% of these ‘dual owners’ made more than 20 mobile purchases over the past year, and nearly two-thirds of them reported higher overall spending due to their mobile purchasing activity.
Dual owners are significantly more likely (63%) to indicate increased overall spending on mobile purchases, versus owners of smart phones only (29%). Tablet owners may be enticed to spend more due to the device’s larger screen and keyboard, and touchscreen capabilities, which tablet owners say improve the shopping experience. However, dual owners still prefer smart phones for m-commerce tasks such as scanning/swiping coupons, listening to audio information, and making purchases in a public setting like a coffee shop.
“Dual owners have the classic markings of early tech adopters, including skewing high-income and male,” said Todd Board, SVP of Ipsos OTX MediaCT, in a statement. “That said, our study clearly suggests that owning both a smart phone and tablet can positively reinforce mobile shopping and spending habits.”
Laura Chambers, senior director of mobile at PayPal, said that the study underscores the need for retailers to tailor their mobile websites and apps for tablets, particularly as the lucrative holiday season inches closer.
“With more shoppers planning to use tablets to shop this holiday season, and quite often using them from the comfort of their own home, we expect that retailers will see quite a bit of ‘couch commerce’ this year,” Chambers said. “We are predicting that the first big spike in mobile shopping will be right after Thanksgiving dinner, where consumers will be shopping from their tablets and smart phones right from their couch – a fantastic early opportunity for retailers to engage their customers.”
The study was conducted in August among Americans aged 18+ who own smart phones and/or tablet PCs, and who otherwise have completed or attempted a purchase via mobile device, or intend to in the future. The total sample size of N=1,283 respondents included 451 smart phone-only mobile purchasers, 215 dual owner purchasers, and 286 dual owners including those who had not yet purchased via mobile device.
