Do looks matter more than security for tablet owners?
Following recent studies showing smartphone shoppers to be fickle when it comes to revisiting poorly developed mobile websites, a new study by shopping search experience provider TheFind suggests that tablet users may be just as unforgiving when evaluating eCommerce destinations created for this device.
Conducted by Harris Interactive for TheFind, the poll sought the opinions of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, of which roughly one-quarter reported to owning a tablet.
The most eye-catching statistic for businesses and retailers was the study’s determination that 87 percent of tablet owners use the device to browse products, a process that includes searching for items and comparing prices.
Still, a closer look reveals some concerns among tablet owners, ones that savvy businesses may want to pay attention to as they look to develop or expand their mCommerce offerings through this platform. In this PYMNTS.com Data Point, we’ll take a closer look at these findings to put these conclusions into perspective.
More Tablet Owners Are Shopping On Their Devices
According to the study, tablets are slowly becoming integrated into the shopping experience for owners, and this means they’re beginning to transfer traditional eCommerce buying habits to these devices. For instance, 37 percent of tablet owners say they now use their tablet more to shop than they did one year earlier.
A majority – 71 percent – complete purchases from tablet devices, with 41 percent reporting that they conduct this activity once a month and 12 percent stating that they finalize a purchase on their tablet at least one time per week. Still, the study concluded that shoppers generally prefer buying from a computer, with 48 percent indicating they will visit a company’s website before its app.
Top Concerns Exclude Payments Worries
Industry observers have long speculated that tablet-based purchasing has been slow to catch on because of consumer perceptions regarding the safety of their payment information. However, only 28 percent cited this as a major concern that influenced their table shopping habits, a number that was less than those relating the aesthetic qualities of the destination.
This suggests that more shoppers may move to tablet shopping in the future, provided retailers change the popular perception of other characteristics of the tablet-based shopping experience.
Businesses Need To Focus On Improving Tablet Shopping Experience
The most common complaint among those served was the fact that tablet apps and websites don’t offer the same experience as traditional websites. For instance, 35 percent say that they feel as though tablet checkout processes are not always optimized for the device, while 29 percent say the pictures accompanying their potential purchases are too small.
The former complaint was echoed even by those who do complete transactions via the devices, with 49 percent of those surveyed reporting that they don’t feel as though apps and websites for tablets are made for this venue.
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