Tablets buyers turn out to be heavier shoppers: study

While there's still some debate about which one, Forrester Research claims that one in three of us will own a tablet PC by 2015, which is great news for retailers.

They're ecstatic, in fact, since consumers who shop with tablets seem to buy more frequently and drop more cash than traditional online shoppers. It’s all about conversion, of course, making sure the shoppers who show up actually buy something.

The Wall Street Journal reports that, on average, those using a laptop or desktop PC to visit a retailer’s website makes a purchase 3% of the time.

The conversion rate for shoppers who do their browsing via an iPad or other tablet, however, is more like 4% or 5%, according to data from Forrester.

Many retailers also say that consumers who make purchases with tablets or smartphones also spend more than the typical customer — sometimes 10% or 20% more.

Tablet owners tend to be wealthier, which gives retailers a self-selected audience of their best customers, the Journal reports. They may also be encouraged to spend by less tangible attributes: large touchscreens that draw users into the content, and a portability that helps them get more comfortable than when surfing on PCs.

As well, studies show that consumers who buy tablets spend more time online after making their purchase, largely because they’re dazzled by the new experience.

That's why some retailers are revamping their online catalogues in light of tablets, which allow them to add videos, slideshows, how-to demonstrations and 'order' buttons.

Are you a tablet user? Has this new device changed your shopping habits yet? Do you expect that it will?

By Gordon Powers, MSN Money

Posted at 07:43 AM in Buying behaviour, Consumer news, Marketing, Shopping | Permalink