Comment: How tablets are changing the way we shop

Technology is transforming the way we shop – and this has never been more evident than in the past few weeks. As we emerge from the other side of the holiday festivities, it’s an important moment for the retail sector to stand back and take stock of emerging trends and behaviours when it comes to their customers.

For me, one of the most significant elements of shopping behaviour today is being influenced by the way we use devices such as tablets.

The rise of the tablet is making it easier than ever before for those wanting to shop last minute, anytime, anywhere, with over 80% of tablet owners using their handy devices to shop.

We recently released a report* with analyst Conlumino on how consumers felt tablets would change the way they shopped over the Christmas period. Our findings showed that a staggering 60% of tablet owners said they would do more online Christmas shopping because of it. The growing adoption of smaller tablet devices is also fuelling the mobile shopping trend, with 70% of owners regularly using them ‘on-the-go’.

And for those that perhaps prefer a more last minute approach to their Christmas spending, the research also showed that tablets offer a perfect solution to finding much needed shopping inspiration for gifts for friends and relatives. Over 60% of consumers regularly use tablets when browsing and deciding what to buy, and 43% are using them to compare prices online.

There’s no doubt that shoppers today are looking for convenience, speed and choice – the ability to shop anytime, anywhere, on any device. And mobile shopping isn’t just for Christmas, it’s here to stay.

So as 2014 gathers pace, it’s crucial for retailers to think about their virtual shop window and what the customer experience looks like from a smartphone or increasingly, a tablet. By creating new engaging experiences for consumers, retailers can create for themselves new opportunities to help them compete and win.

*Research methodology: the consumer research in this report is based on a survey conducted by retail analysts Conlumino with a UK nationally representative poll of 1,205 tablet owning consumers.

• Olivier Ropars is general manager of mobile commerce, e-commerce and innovation at eBay