Smartphones, tablets changing the way U.K. consumers shop, with consumers spending 4.4 hours per week shopping on their tablet device, versus 2.2 hours on a smartphone and 2.9 hours on a laptop or desktop computer

Cindy Allen

LOS ANGELES , February 7, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) – According to a survey by the Interactive Advertising Bureau U.K., smartphones and tablets are changing the way that U.K. consumers shop, Internet Retailer reported Feb. 6.

The study found that consumers spend an average of 4.4 hours per week shopping on their tablet device, as opposed to 2.2 hours on a smartphone and 2.9 hours on a laptop or desktop computer.

In addition, the study found that 31% of laptop or desktop users who do not also own a tablet use their computers to shop, a percentage that falls to 22% when the user also owns a tablet. 27% of users who own both a tablet and a laptop or desktop use their tablet device to shop.

Smartphones also are changing the way U.K. consumers shop. 38% of smartphone owners have used their devices in stores. Of these shoppers, 55% conducted a web search about a product, 49% compared prices at other retailers, 27% used a store locator, 25% scanned a product bar code to obtain more information, and 20% used an app to obtain product information.

“The great functionality and easy to use experience of a tablet offers a place for consumers to relax and spend some time browsing retailer sites and apps,” said Alex Kozloff, a senior mobile manager with Interactive Advertising Bureau U.K, “Retailers that can create a rich and engaging tablet destination will likely benefit in the long term from this consumer trend.”

The study found that 38% of smartphone owners have used their device at least once while in a brick-and-mortar store. Of this 38%, 55% of users have used their smartphone to conduct a product-specific web search, 49% have used it to perform a price comparison, and 27% have used a store locator on their smartphone device. In addition, 25% have used their smartphone to scan a product bar code and 20% have used a smartphone app to obtain additional information on a product.

Eighteen percent of smartphone owners place the most trust in information obtained via their smarphone while shopping, as compared to 32% who place the most trust in information provided by the shop assistant. 9% place the most trust in information obtained by calling a friend or family member.

The primary source of this article is Internet Retailer, Chicago, Illinois, on Feb. 6, 2012.

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