Tablet shopping sits between phone and desktop behaviour because the device combines a larger touch screen with portability. Purchase patterns depend on the product, household and checkout experience rather than the device category alone.
Customers move between phones, tablets and computers while shopping online. The chosen device depends on context and task: a phone suits a quick search, while a larger screen may help with detailed comparison or a long form. Retailers need a consistent journey across those hand-offs.
Many mobile devices and tablets are largely being used for shopping activities. Whether that’s browsing stores or actually going through with a purchase. Naturally, smartphones are more portable and perform many more functions than an average tablet so people do use it for a lot of other purposes. Compared to that, however, the tablet is being used more to purchase products and services online and research what options they have available.
While smartphones generally do hold a significant share in mobile commerce and people own less tablets as compared to smartphones, an increasing number of people are using their tablets to make purchases.
Factors that affect tablet sales
So, what factors are contributing to these increasing online sales from tablets? Well, this growth can be accredited to multiple reasons.
Firstly, the conversion rate on a tablet is higher than it is on the mobile phone. One reason for this is that the larger screen makes it easier for customers to view products and navigate the site. Additionally, customers also have the opportunity to view a more detailed image of the product, giving them a better idea of how it looks and what features it has. Overall, tablets could potentially contribute to a better online shopping experience as compared to the mobile. The larger screen size also gives businesses the opportunity to create a more interactive experience on their websites, which could potentially contribute to the higher conversion rate.
Another reason that contributes to rising tablet sales is that most people don’t carry their devices around. Hence, they only use these devices when they’re free and want to utilize their leisure time. Hence, during this time, people are more comfortable browsing online stores because they have time on their hands.
Another contributing factor to tablet sales is the demographics of the people who own tablets. Smartphones, today, are considered a necessity. People perform a variety of tasks on their phones and sometimes may not even find the need to open their laptops. Compared to that, tablets aren’t offering a unique experience and, hence, may be more of a luxury good than a necessity. Thus, people who purchase tablets may potentially have access to more disposable income as compared to those with smartphones. Greater disposable income definitely contributes to a higher level of online shopping as people are more comfortable spending money compared to those on a tight budget.
Apart from richer households, tablets are also popular amongst households with children. This is a key demographic for e-commerce businesses and one that shouldn’t be neglected.
Lastly, order values are likely to be higher on tablets are consumers are more likely to conduct larger purchase transactions on tablets as compared to smartphones.
Conclusion
Retailers should test browsing, account access and checkout on tablets rather than assuming a phone layout will scale without problems. Touch targets, image detail and payment steps need to work from start to finish. Current analytics will show whether tablet visitors remain commercially important for a specific shop.
Compare devices within the same customer journey
A shopper may discover a product on a phone, research it on a tablet and complete payment on a laptop. Retailers should avoid crediting the final device for the whole journey. Historical device shares below describe the market at publication; current analysis should use recent analytics and account for cross-device sign-ins where consent permits.
