http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/25/tablets-give-e-commerce-a-real-world-feel/

I’m an avid iPad user. I was given the device as a gift – it’s not something I ever would have bought for myself. However, after having it for the past six months, I realize that it would be hard for me to survive without it. I’ve become very depend on its accessibility and ease of use. It’s one of those devices you didn’t know  you needed until you got one.  Now I could not imagine not having one.

Yet, this blog is not about the iPad – it’s about how the surge of mobile tablets has impacted e-Commerce.

I recently read an article by Claire Cain Miller of The New York Times, “Tablets Give E-Commerce a Real-World Feel,” the link is above this post.   It covered a recent Forrester Research report on how the increase of tablets in the market have influenced a rise in mobile e-Commerce sales. The survey found that only 9 percent of shoppers own a tablet; however, sales from tablets already account for 20 percent of mobile e-Commerce. Additionally, more than half of tablet owners (60 percent) have used their personal device to shop.  For a decade the focus has been on commerce moving to the handheld mobile handset.   Perhaps tablets are the ultimate mobile device we didn’t expect.

Sucharita Mulpuru, a Forrester analyst with solid insights,  discussed the results as reported in NY Times article. She states, “‘Everyone thinks that mobile phones and mobile commerce are the next big things, and I think what this data shows is it’s probably actually tablets, … We have always capped e-commerce at 10 to 15 percent of total retail sales, but this potentially has the capability of really expanding e-commerce much beyond that.’” This is really exciting stuff for the digital commerce space as the possibilities for offline vendors to increase sales improves.

It is all about the experience.  Always was – still is.   Consumers want the same buying experience when making purchases online as they do inside brick and mortar stores. There is an emotional response consumers’ feel when being able to browse the store, see and touch the goods available for purchase. Often time, consumers do not make online purchases because they do not receive similar satisfaction offline shopping provides.

Tablets have created the most brick and mortar-like online experience for e-Commerce, offering more than traditional smartphones or computers. For example, tablets allow consumers to browse digital catalogues and view photos with high-resolution graphics. And speaking from experience, the quality of the experience means everything!

Some additional statistics uncovered from the study include:

  • 80 percent of shoppers whom use their tables for online shopping, use it in their living room in their homes
  • 40 percent of tablet owners use their tablets instead of their personal computers when available

It will be interesting to see how the continued growth of the tablet market impacts e-Commerce. I’m sure my hunch is the same as yours … continued success for online merchants.