Tapping into Tablet-owning consumers is a revenue opportunity in the making.

Bizrate Insights recently concluded the Bizrate/Forrester Study: Tablet Usage Among Online Buyers, conducted in partnership with Forrester Research’s Sucharita Mulpuru.

“What we find most exciting from this Study is that there is real revenue to be earned through the Tablet market, making an investment in its ecommerce experience a worthwhile undertaking,” stated Hayley A. Silver, Senior Director of Bizrate Insights. The report focuses on three key areas derived from the Study’s data:

Market penetration and demographics.

o After the introduction of the iPad2, Tablet ownership among online buyers grew to 12%, up from 9% prior.

o Most owners are Generation X or Baby Boomers, female, have an average household income of over $109,000 (56% greater than non-Tablet owners), and nearly half have children under 18.

o 26% of those who do not currently own a Tablet plan to purchase one within the next year.

Market value.

o 60% have shopped online with their Tablet; of these shoppers, 78% have placed an online order using their Tablet.

o Tablet owners spent 28% more (on average) on orders placed during the Study than non-Tablet owners (irrespective of the device through which the online order was placed).

Tablet usage and points of frustration.

o The Tablet is increasing the total amount of time spent online for nearly half of owners, while also shifting some activities from smartphones and computers to the Tablet.

o However, more than half (56%) of online shoppers reported that online shopping through the Tablet delivered an inferior experience to the computer.

o These shoppers cite the difficulties associated with clicking, form filling, and Flash use in general (iOS devices such as the iPad and iPhone do not natively support Flash).

o Frustrations are more often cited by those with a retailer-specific app on their Tablet than those without such as app.

“It is important to note that while early adopters have shown a propensity to shop online, they have also identified shortcomings in the current ecommerce experience,” stated Sucharita Mulpuru, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research. “Whether to go with an app or an optimized site right now depends on three main factors: whether your website relies on Flash or similar technology, whether you can build an app that delivers an expansive customer experience, and the likelihood of your customer base to download an app.”

Despite these initial shortcomings, early adopters of the Tablet how shown that they are a valuable segment for retailers to target. “The combination of consumer reported latent demand for Tablets, existing avid online shopping and buying among current Tablet owners, and a shift in online activities to the Tablet from other devices, points to a considerable ecommerce revenue opportunity in the coming years for retailers who can overcome challenges related to functionality,” concluded Ms. Silver.

To download report CLICK on link below;
http://www.bizrateinsights.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Bizrate-Forrester-Study-Tablet-Usage-Among-Online-Buyers.pdf>